Quest of the Seekers: Animals Within
by High Serpent King
Summary: Sequel to QOS:Elements of Transformation. It's my 2nd story of a parselmouth and his friends. But what happens when his secret is not a secret to them anymore? Will he be branded as an evil wizard? Full summary inside. Completed
1. Happy Birthday Tyler

**Quest of the Seekers: Animals Within**  
  
Year Two at Hogwarts  
  
Characters from the canon belong to JK Rowling except for my creations. Please don't sue and the usual copyright stuff that I won't get into.

To those who are new to this, welcome. However I advise you to go to my author profile and read the eighteen chapters of **Quest of the Seekers:Elements of Transformation** or else this story won't make sense in the slightest. To those who aren't new welcome back and I hope this book will have better qualities than the first one. I admit that it didn't turn up as I envisioned originally but it was only the introduction. This time I can jump into the more exciting stuff that I have in store for the interhouse friends. Just in case you forgot here are the 4 stars of the story and their personas that will develop in time:  
  
Tyler Solemn Slytherin: He is the youngest parselmouth in existence. In fact, there are only four parselmouths remaining in the world. His father Simon Solemn Slytherin, grandfather Alan Solemn Slytherin and his cousin Tom Marvolo Riddle aka Lord Voldemort. While they are in public they use their passed on middle name 'Solemn' as their surname and as a cover for truth potions. (I mean it is their name so it is a half-truth, isn't it?) Though they are parselmouths, Tyler and his family (excluding Voldemort) can be considered the nicest people around. Tyler loves snakes and in fact has one, Chaos, who is his best animal friend. He is very cunning, adventurous, stubborn, caring, and can let his pride get in the way. While in Slytherin he had problems with them on the subject of having friends in other houses but managed to get 3 house friends who accepted this fact. He has just finished his first year at Hogwarts with his friends (who I will talk about in a moment) and had become an elemental that can create and control lightning. One final note is that his wand is the most special thing about him to his family. His wand used to belong to their ancestor Salazar Slytherin and their was a family prophecy on how the new wielder of the wand would bring back their people's good name and Tyler decided that the best way to do that is to defeat his cousin when he has grown to show that parselmouths can be as good or evil as any type of people.  
  
Jacke Ronald Walker: He is Tyler's first and bestest friend. Though he is in Gryffindor while Tyler is in Slytherin they remained pals. Sometimes it can be hard to stay friends but they've managed so far. He is courageous, adventurous, fun seeking, quick to make friends, but can get big headed, and act daring. He also can let his courage get the better of him and be very reckless. (To my knowledge only, Jacke has his own little born-in secret. I put some hints of it in my previous story. Hint: it's in the chapter 8: Back to school with a Plan of EOT. You can try to guess it if you want but I won't officially reveal until only I know when. Ha Ha Ha.) Anyway, like Tyler, he is a pureblood wizard but also like Tyler doesn't believe in blood purity. In their last adventure, Jacke had become an elemental of fire. Who knows what this year will bring? (Only me.)  
  
Reginald (Reggie) Kalvin Falkner: One of Tyler's best friends. He is in Ravenclaw and like Jacke, it was hard to stay friends with a Slytherin but he's managed so far. He loves reading, smart, can be cunning if he wants, enjoys learning (Duh, he's a Ravenclaw bookworm). However, he can be hesitant to pressure, too smart for his own good and lack the need to have fun. (Like Jacke he has a secret about himself but I won't reveal it until later and don't try to guess yet for I haven't given any clues yet unlike Jacke.) He is a halfblood wizard with a muggle mother and a wizard father but he has no shame about his muggle origins. However, he knows a bit more about the wizarding world then the muggle world but he knows enough to blend in. In their last adventure, Reggie became an elemental of wind. Perhaps he will get a similar experience this year.  
  
Brad Nicholas Carter: One of Tyler's best friends. He was sorted in Hufflepuff when he arrived at Hogwarts. Like Jacke and Reggie, he has trouble in his house on the subject of being good friends with a Slytherin. He is very loyal to his friends, magically curious, knows how to talk to people, tries his hardest but can be too trusting. Unlike the others, Brad had come from a muggle family. He first discovered he was a wizard when he got his letter and now he is very interested in his new world. He does know more about the muggle world than the wizarding world but he still yearns to understand both. In their last adventure he became an elemental of water. What else will he find out?  
  
These are the basic layouts for my main characters. I hope I familiarized them for you. Well enough talking and on to the story. Also the slanted words mean parseltongue.

Chapter 1: Happy Birthday Tyler  
  
Out in the Great Down Mountains region, at Sussex, there lay a big mansion ground away from anyone. This was the secret Slytherin Family Mansion that belonged to the last remaining parselmouths. Right now a young boy was in his room petting his owl and talking to his snake after he awoke. His hair was a little windswept thanks to the open window and his pillow. His black eyes gave off a warm feeling when he widely smiled at his animal friends. He was Tyler Slytherin.  
  
"_I hope you had a great sleep Chaos_," hissed Tyler to his faithful snake. "_Also try to guess what day it is_."  
  
"_Uh, isn't it August 30th_?" answered Chaos the snake.  
  
"_Yes but it is also my birthday and its one day away from when I brought you and Pandy from Diagon Alley home with me_."  
  
"_Oh, it is! Isn't it wonderful Pandy_?!"  
  
His brown owl Pandy hooted and gave his elegant head bow. Through all this time Pandy had finally caught on to their language, parseltongue. Pandy had started to understand them halfway through July.  
  
"Glad you agree Pandy" Tyler said to his owl in English.  
  
Then a voice that Tyler knew belonged to his mother called out. "Tyler, it's time for breakfast!"  
  
"Coming mum!"  
  
Tyler went to his spot at the table where Yenze the house elf had placed him a plate with eggs and toast. In the middle of breakfast, Tyler's father Simon and his mother Nora got up.  
  
"Well son, I er...we have to go out."  
  
"Really why?"  
  
"We have to go pick up your grandparents Tyler," said his mom. "Don't worry we'll be back in an hour. Until then be good and Yenze, will you watch over him for a while?"  
  
"Of course mistress" Yenze squeaked taking a bow.  
  
Then they apparated leaving Tyler to finish his breakfast.  
  
That night was a great night for the Slytherin family. Alan & Barbara Slytherin, Tyler's grandparents, arrived to celebrate Tyler's 12th birthday with them. They had a family dinner with their snakes; Yenze and Tyler even invited Pandy to join them.  
  
The family gave Tyler their present and what a present it was! Tyler was given a broomstick. Not any broomstick but a Silver Arrow model that he long thought were gone.  
  
"How?" was all he managed to say.  
  
"All of us went to a collector and made him a great offer," said his father Simon. "We gave him 500 galleons and an antique medallion from the early 1900's. We thought you could use this for the house team tryouts for luck."  
  
Tyler had told his family of Madam Hooch's suggestion to join the team when he could and it turns out that the seeker for the team left at June so he was going to go for it. He was going to ask for a broom but, a classic?  
  
"I'll try twice as hard for all of you."  
  
"You'd better lad," said his grandpa Alan. He gave him a hearty pat on the back.  
  
After that, Tyler had a hard time falling asleep. He had become the proud owner of a famous broom that hadn't been made for years. Pandy's soft hooting told Tyler that he was safe and soundly asleep. Chaos was snuggled in his bed box breathing in a sleepy daze. Tyler felt like he was full of energy to last a week.  
  
He looked to his wand that was at the table right at his bed. That wand wasn't something to be overlooked. It used to belong to Tyler's ancestor Salazar Slytherin, 1 of the founders of Hogwarts. It was said that he was the reason why parselmouths were thought to be evil and why his family was all that was left. The wand had a prophecy on it of how the new bearer would fix their reputation. Last year, the wand had accepted Tyler and he still thought that his wand felt like an average one.  
  
Tyler lay back first on his bed and started to concentrate. Sparkling light appeared above him and he let out a smile before he banished it. He had gotten really good.  
  
Tyler had met 3 wizards who became his best friends almost immediately. They were Jacke Walker, Brad Carter and Reggie Falkner. What was unique of this friendship was the fact that all of them were in different houses. He was in Slytherin, Jacke in Gryffindor, Reggie in Ravenclaw, Brad in Hufflepuff. During the good course of their first year they had went through a powerful transformation. They had become elementals, wizards with the power to control elements without a wand. Tyler had become an elemental of lightning and had been getting better hold of his power with practice. His friends had been practicing too, according to their letters, and have been doing great as well. The past year had not been easy for any of them because of their friendship. It was not natural for wizards of different houses to be friends so they were shunned.  
  
Tyler, however, seemed to have been luckier then the other three. He looked at his wall, after lighting a lamp, to find the pictures of his 3 friends from his own house of Slytherin. They were Matt Carroway in his year, Regalus Black on now 5th year and finally Severus Snape who had recently left Hogwarts. They had befriended Tyler even though he was friends with wizards outside their house.  
  
His friendship with Jacke was the most important one because he like him the best but it was also the hardest. Jacke was so fun, adventurous and mischievous like himself and Tyler considered him his bestest friend. However, Jacke, being in Gryffindor was the hardest to stay friends with. The houses of Slytherin and Gryffindor had a rivalry that went back for years. Sometimes they were pulled into it, which caused problems. Jacke and Tyler had fought once, letting the rivalry control them but quickly made up. To believe in themselves they, along with Brad and Reggie made a pact to always be friends despite their house differences. That helped get them through their 1st year together.  
  
Tyler also looked at the key in his arm chain. The key was in the shape of a snake, which could open the 'Deep Level', a chamber that held family magics, emblems, enchantments going even a thousand years. Tyler received his key to it last Christmas. It was then that Tyler found the book of how to become an elemental that he shared with his friends.  
  
'Hm' thought Tyler. 'Maybe I should pay another visit to that room.'  
  
He left his room carefully to not wake Pandy or Chaos and headed for the 'Deep Level'. He reached the big iron door and inserted his key. He entered the room and the torches in there lit upon his arrival. He thought he should take a closer look at the bookshelves from where he had found the first book. Reggie still had it for "Background Reading." As he walked down the aisles he saw books that looked centuries old as well as some behind bars. He kept walking down the aisles until he heard a hissing sound. He turned and saw that it was a snake that he didn't recognize.  
  
"_Who are you_?" he spoke to it in parseltongue.  
  
"_I have no name other than guardian. Why are you here_?"  
  
"_I'm here to look for another book on transformations_."  
  
"_Oh, so it was you_." he said pointingly.  
  
"_Me? What are you talking about Guardian_?"  
  
"_I always keep track of what's been taken and on the transformations shelf, there was a book missing_."  
  
"_Oh yes I took that book in December_."  
  
"_You aren't supposed to remove anything without..."_  
  
"_A key_." finished Tyler. He then waved his snake key in from of the snake.  
  
"_Oh forgive me for accusing you of stealing from the Slytherin family. It's my duty to make sure no trespassers take anything belong to your family_."  
  
"_Well, why didn't I see you the last time_?"  
  
"_I...I was asleep during my post_."  
  
"_Oh well...can you help me find a new book with transformations. I already became an elemental so is there anything you recommend_?"  
  
"_Come with me_."  
  
Guardian led Tyler down the aisles to a place that looked familiar to him. After some thought, Tyler recognized it as the same place where he found the element book. He saw the shelf that Guardian said was the "Transformations Shelf" and noticed an empty space where the other book must've been. That shelf had titles that were wild in Tyler's mind. Most of the row was on elementals and extremely dark rituals which the word sacrificing on nearly all their titles. Tyler thought that maybe he should give up on that idea because it looked too dark until he was drawn to the bottom shelf of the cabinet. There was a book on nature transformations. He went through them, not really getting interest by the kinds of transformations said like turning into plants or possessing aquatic animals. But the last book lit his eyes.  
  
"This is it," said Tyler quietly. "_I'm taking this out Guardian_."  
  
"_You don't have to ask since you're a Slytherin family member. Take anything you wish_."  
  
"_Er...Is it okay if you don't inform my father about this_."  
  
"_Well...normally I would have to but I'll make an exception_."  
  
"_Thank you_." He bowed to Guardian and started out of the chamber.  
  
He started to feel sleepy perhaps due to the excitement that he had experienced that night. When he arrived back to his room he tiptoed to his bed to not wake his animal friends and read the cover of the book before drifting to sleep.  
  
To Be An Animagus  
  
By Artemus Demetrius  
  
End of Chapter one.  
  
Author Notes:  
  
Well this is the end of chapter one. Good start? Well I hope so. The chapter is New Year, New Plan which will have Tyler on his way back to Hogwarts. He also has a little reunion with his friends.  
  
Also on another note, I can't wait for the new movie. I am literally counting the days down to it. A great way to see stuff on the new movie is to go to digicasey.com so check it out if you want. REVIEW!!!!!!!!


	2. New Year, New Plan

**Quest of the Seekers: Animals Within**  
  
Year Two at Hogwarts

Chapter 2: New Year, New Plan  
  
The day to go back to Hogwarts had arrived. Tyler and his family had already gotten his new schoolbooks and equipment two weeks ago. Yenze had gathered his essentials in the trunk leaving Tyler to finish the rest like last year. He packed in his new broomstick, pictures and his new book. He decided to show it to Jacke, Reggie, and Brad like he did with the elemental book. If they could become elementals together then they could certainly do this transformation as well.  
  
Tyler was transported to the platform by portkey with his mom and dad. They gave him hugs and he got the usual caution from his father.  
  
"Remember to be watchful especially with talking to Chaos."  
  
"Sure dad" Tyler said in a tone that made it seem like another boring thing being heard.  
  
"I'm serious Tyler. Lastly, its Solemn remember?"  
  
"Okay dad, don't worry. If I was careful last year then I should do okay in this one. I'll be fine and Pandy will be around if I get in trouble so I could owl you."  
  
He boarded the Hogwarts Express and looked back in time to see his parents apparate (the art to disappear and reappear) back home. Tyler went to the back at the train to meet his fellow elemental friends like every time they boarded the train before. On the way, he saw familiar faces. Zack Moore and Alex Nott, two of his fellow 2nd year Slytherins were in a compartment with some other Slytherins and Tyler did wave them hello but other then nodding their heads to him they gave no other sign he had passed. It was common for members of his house to not pay him a second mind due to his "interhouse friendship" as it was called.  
  
He made it to the last compartment with his trunk right behind him. He put it away after he took the book from it. He hid it under his robes and waited for his friends' arrival. After five minutes of patient waiting, the doors opened revealing a 12-year-old red haired boy- Jacke Walker, Tyler's best friend. He seemed to grow a few inches since he last saw him to be slightly taller than him but other then that he hardly changed at all.  
  
"Hi there Tyler. Its so good to see you mate."  
  
"You spoke my thoughts out exactly. Glad we're together again Jacke."  
  
They went and gave each other welcome hugs. They then sat down and discussed their progress of practicing their elements (careful to do it alone without their parents around) and how much they've improved. Jacke spoke of his summer with his family and how he had gone to Belgium to see the quidditch league match of Belgium vs. Finland. Tyler wished he had gone to see it as well but he had to practice his parselform. He had gotten better with every lesson that he started to get when he got back in June.  
  
Parselform was the writing of Tyler's people. It would look like squiggly lines and symbols to untrained eyes but it was their alphabet. Tyler had thought that this writing was soothing in a way because if his stuff was found then they couldn't read it. He told this to both his mom and Chaos and they suggested that he start a journal for his experiences and thoughts to better let them out. He didn't think it was a good idea because even if he did write them in a writing that no one could understand it still seemed risky to place them in plain sight outside his head.  
  
"Well that's pretty much all I did. What about you Tyler? I know you practiced your lightning powers like I did with my fire powers but what else did you do?"  
  
"Oh I practiced writing in my second language the last two months. I've gotten quite good at it especially since it's in my blood."  
  
"What language is that Tyler?" asked Jacke curiously.  
  
Tyler kept repeating "er" under his breath but then Reggie came in with Brad. Reggie's blond hair looked like it was a little straighter than last time he saw him and he grew to be exactly his own height. Brad looked a like he hardly changed at all. His hair looked a little longer but you wouldn't notice it if you weren't trying to take notice.  
  
"Tyler, Jacke, how are you guys?"  
  
"It's great to see you again. Reggie and I just ran into each other on the platform."  
  
They all hugged each other and soon the whistle blew meaning that the train was pulling out. Tyler thought that now was a good time to show them the book.  
  
"Listen guys. I have a little something here to show you."  
  
"Why do I have the feeling of dejavu?" said Brad.  
  
"Dejavu?" said Tyler and Jacke.  
  
"Muggle term" continued Brad.  
  
"Well here it is."  
  
He pulled 'To Be An Animagus' from under his robes and put it in front of his friends.  
  
"Are you saying what I hope you're going to say?" Jacke said nearly shouting.  
  
"Yeah. If we learned how to be elementals together then why not become animagi."  
  
"What are these animagi?" asked Brad.  
  
"I think I heard my dad talking about them once but I didn't understand what they were" said Reggie.  
  
"Well, I didn't know either until I read the beginning of this book. According to it, Animagi have the magical ability to become an animal at will."  
  
"Wow, that sounds pretty cool." Brad was fascinated at this. "I didn't think wizards could even become animals."  
  
"Yeah they are pretty cool. I should know seeing as how my great grandmother was one."  
  
"She was?" asked all of them.  
  
"Yeah, she was able to turn into a leopard. I only saw here try it once before she died."  
  
"Oh, sorry" said Reggie.  
  
"It's okay. She died of old age and to be honest we were wondering when she would kick the bucket. She always seemed so full of energy you could confuse her with a young women's age."  
  
"Well if you great grandma did this then why not just wait until we learn at the school?" asked Brad.  
  
"They don't teach you how to do this at Hogwarts" said Jacke.  
  
"Exactly, which is why I got this book so we could have a repeat of last year. We had a great time learning how to be elementals together so why not this too?"  
  
"Well I'm in" chanted Jacke. "I really did have a great time last year. I'm up for another one."  
  
"Well this does sound exciting to do. Why not? I would love to see how it feels to be an animal in the wild."  
  
"Tyler...where did you get this?" asked Reggie in an interrogator type voice.  
  
'Uh oh' thought Tyler.  
  
"Yeah. I also find it hard to believe you could keep running into these books Tyler" said Brad suspiciously.  
  
Reggie and Brad had suspicious thoughts on Tyler. Last year, they were also suspicious on how he got the elemental book. He had told them he found it on the floor in Florish & Blotts. He doubted whether that excuse would work on them a second time. He needed to come up with one quick.  
  
"Its...its...a slytherin house secret." That was the best he could do? Why didn't he just say the truth while at it! Well it was at least a half- truth. It did come from the Slytherin House, his house, and it was a secret. Brad broke his thoughts.  
  
"If it's a slytherin secret then why are you sharing this with us instead of Carroway or Regalus?"  
  
"Because...I don't know. I guess it's a feeling. Just don't ask me where I got it, please?"  
  
"No problem here" said Jacke although he was getting very curious himself.  
  
"I guess," said Brad.  
  
"Alright, I won't ask anymore," added Reggie.  
  
"Good thanks. Well anyway, how should we do this? The usual?"  
  
"Yeah. Reggie takes the book and we practice in our cave near the lake," said Jacke.  
  
"Okay let me see it" Reggie said in a tired voice. "I guess I could look at this as more background reading."  
  
He took the book and started to read and it looked like he really got into it. The other three let Reggie read because to interrupt a Ravenclaw who's completely engrossed in reading a big book and you'll wish you hadn't. The cart lady came by and they all bought a few snacks off the trolley. While Tyler ate some Bertie Botts beans, he became curious on how muggles spent their holidays.  
  
"Brad, what did you do during the summer? I'm in the dark on how muggles spend their holidays."  
  
"Oh I just hung out with my neighborhood friends and played in a soccer tournament."  
  
"Soccer?" said Jacke. "Ah right, that muggle foot kicking game, right?"  
  
"Yeah...well we placed in fifth place. That's the best that our district's ever done. We had a little party celebrating our progress. Also I spent the last month with my grandpa for karate lessons."  
  
"What's karate?" asked Tyler, Jacke and Reggie. Apparently this brought him out of his reading daze.  
  
"Oh it's a form of muggle defense."  
  
"Oh" then Reggie went back to reading the animagi book.  
  
"Cool."  
  
After a while of talking and finishing the food, Reggie slammed the book shut.  
  
"Well, that really was interesting. Animagi really are fascinating,"he said sounding fascinated.  
  
"Well" Tyler pushed on.  
  
"Well, we first have to choose an animal that we like and try to make ourselves become. However, it can't be a magical creature like a werewolf or a gryphon.  
  
"Gryphon?" said Brad.  
  
"You'll find out later" Tyler reassured him.  
  
Also to become the animal that we choose we have to make ourselves feel less human by visualizing ourselves as the animal detail to detail. This is what will make us a copy of our image."  
  
"That sounds simple," said Jacke.  
  
"We do have to cast a spell on ourselves you know" said Reggie in a warning sort of voice that he saved when someone was going the wrong way with what they were doing. "It's a transfiguration spell." With that he looked over at Brad. Brad was a "wizard" when it came to Transfiguration. He had the best grades of the year on that subject and helped tutor any of them if they had trouble with the work. He claimed it was his favorite class.  
  
"So I should be in charge with that."  
  
"Yes," said Tyler and Jacke quickly. Brad nodded and with that their new adventure was set.  
  
They sat down a little more and waited for the trip to the station to end. Tyler hated to wait when he was on the way to something and that it would take time. Also it was starting to get a little hot.  
  
"Could you open a window Brad? It's getting a little warm in here."  
  
"Okay."  
  
But before he could even open it a little breeze came in and surrounded their compartment. Tyler wondered how a breeze like this could be there with the windows closed and noticed that Reggie had his eyes closed and looked like he was trying to remember something.  
  
"Thanks Reggie."  
  
"No problem."  
  
"I see you gotten the hang of your new power," said Brad looking impressed.  
  
"Yeah, did you think that you three were going to be the only ones practicing with your new power."  
  
"Funny," said Jacke. "I seem to remember that you weren't completely in on our little transformation."  
  
"Well I might have thought it was a bad idea from the start but I've grown to love my new power. Let's see your water power Brad."  
  
Brad conjured water spheres around him, which he launched at his friends. Tyler thought it was weird that water hit him but he didn't get wet, he got a chill but not wet. Tyler then remembered that their conjured elements didn't have full effect on living things unless the spirit of the earth thought they were worthy, which still didn't make sense to him. Only the elements that they manipulated would be like that. That trail of thought made something dawn on Tyler.  
  
"Hey guys, I just thought of something."  
  
"A slytherin that just thought of something. That can't be good," said Jacke in a mock scary voice.  
  
"Ha Ha, very funny Jacke. I was just going to say if you guys think Professor Dumbledore found someone to fill in the Defense Against the Dark Arts job?"  
  
"Who knows?" answered Brad shrugging his shoulders. "I don't think there would be too many lining up for that job seeing as how no one but us knew what had happened to the real one."  
  
Reggie gave Jacke and Tyler serious looks and Jacke gave out a breath.  
  
"How many times do we have to say we're sorry."  
  
"I didn't say a thing."  
  
"Like you had to."  
  
A voice then rang out announcing that they reached Hogsmeade Station. It was time for the young wizards to return to Hogwarts to start their second year.

...

End of Chapter 2  
  
Author Notes:  
  
Well that ends their ride on the train. On the subject of parselform writing. I got to thinking, Parseltongue is just another language and like any language it's got to have writing. So I decided to create that for Tyler. I have to say that out of all my characters that I have invented I have to say Tyler is my favorite with Jacke bringing up the rear. About Tyler's alibis, I'll guarantee you they won't last forever. On the subject of their animal forms, I have already planned a form for each of them that I think suits them fine. If you want to guess then I'll have to disappoint you by saying that they are obvious forms.  
  
The next chapter is coming up which is called "Professor Arnold". It's about, yes you guessed it, a new teacher called Professor Arnold. Also Tyler will be reunited with his other slytherin buddies minus Snape. A lesson on defense will also be given so stay on alert for the update.  
  
REVIEW!


	3. Professor Arnold

**Quest of the Seekers: Animals Within  
**  
Year Two at Hogwarts 

Chapter 3: Professor Arnold

When the train pulled into the station, the four of them left trunks and went out with their robes blowing in the hard passing wind; they had changed consecutively on the train. They soon heard a familiar voice.

"Firs' years. Please come to me if you're a firs' year!"

They went to the groundskeeper Hagrid to say hi to him.

"Hi Hagrid," said Reggie.

"Oh hello you lot. Still together I see?"

"Was there any doubt?" said Brad in a sarcastic questioning voice.

"Well, you should get to the carriages over there" he pointed in a direction that the more older students were heading.

They bid Hagrid farewell and headed down the laid out path until they came to the carriages, which Hagrid spoke of. Tyler thought they looked horseless but then remembered what Reggie said about them last year.

"The older students ride in threshal pulled carriages" he had said.

Tyler also remembered that he could see the threshals. Threshals were creatures that could only be seen if you witnessed death.

"Reggie, what do the threshals look like?"

"Well, they look scaly, skeletal; about the cross between a dragon and a horse."

They all climbed in to a carriage together and went towards Hogwarts chatting.

They arrived and went up to the castle doors and headed for the Great Hall. There they separated to sit at their respective tables. Tyler went to his fellow slytherin pal Matt Carroway. He sat right beside him surprising him and started to speak.

"Matt, how's it going there? And have you seen Regalus yet?"

"Hey Tyler and no, I haven't seen Regalus yet. I am good and had a nice, peaceful summer. I hope you did."

"Not completely but close" he responded.

Then a teen with black hair in slytherin robes sat across them. "Miss me?"

"Hey Regulus" they answered together.

Regulus then waved to Jacke, Reggie and Brad and they waved back. Tyler smiled at this. He had brought Regulus and his friends together before the end of their last term. They became friends fast, not best friends, but on better than ok terms with the exception of Jacke who had already befriended Regulus earlier.

After a while, everyone was in the hall and all the teachers were at the table except Hagrid and Professor McGonagall. Tyler, however, noticed a young man in olive robes sitting at the staff table next to Professor Reckler, his head of house. He had brown hair, which was neat, and a face that showed he was a pretty tough guy. He looked to be in his fifties. 'Guess he's the new teacher' thought Tyler.

Then the doors went open and Hagrid came in and sat at his spot while McGonagall soon followed with the new first years. He remembered when he was in their position going to be sorted with his friends. He had felt nervous and he had been hoping to be sorted in Slytherin like his dad and grandpa. He had really like what they told him about his house. The first years were placed in front of a stool that held an old wizard hat – The Sorting Hat. It ripped its mouth open and started to sing a little off key...

"_Nearly a millennium ago, _

there were wizards and witches four.

Here is where they built their castle,

to teach students at their door.

They are this school's founders,

better known as the Hogwarts four.

They took in children like you,

to teach, comfort and more.

The new students they always sorted,

based on the character they found.

But after they died they couldn't sort them longer,

to which now I am bound.

In Gryffindor lay the ones with chivalry,

and among the brave.

Value them for their courage,

but they can misbehave.

To Ravenclaw go the bright,

who just love to learn.

Their whole lives are a quest,

to seek out the knowledge they yearn.

Then there are the Hufflepuffs,

where loyalty is a must.

Those ones who work always hard,

to build compassion and trust.

Also, there are the ones in Slytherin,

who like the trickery arts.

The home of the proud ones,

who are cunning at the heart.

Now we can finally move on,

since all of that is said.

Don't be shy and come on down,

put me on your head!"

There was applause and the sorting hat had become still again on that stool. The hat had song a different song last year which it tactfully said some of Tyler's family prophecy. Before Tyler could think more on this, Professor McGonagall had started.

"As you're called, please come so the sorting hat can place you in your houses." She unrolled a scroll of parchment and started the roll call. "Stephanie Anderson"

The had shouted, "_Hufflepuff_!" Then there was clapping to welcome her to the school.

"Samuel Baddock"

"_Slytherin_!" Tyler clapped hard at the new addition to their house.

"Simone Bresden"

"_Gryffindor_!" Clapping came from the hall especially from the Gryffindor table.

When McGonagall got to the K's, Tyler pulled Matt out of watching.

"Hey Matt, do you know if that's the new Defense teacher?"

"I believe he is. Let's see if this one can actually make it to the end of the year" chuckled Matt as a Max Longhorn was placed in Gryffindor. The word was that the DADA position was a jinx since none lasted too long.

The sorting ended when Ralph Yavin was sorted into Ravenclaw. McGonagall picked up the stool and took here seat while Dumbledore stood. Dumbledore seemed like an old and out beaten, crazy man but Tyler knew better. People said that his powers rivaled those of his cousin. Also, the fact that they were bitter enemies scared Tyler as he thought what Dumbledore would do to him if he found that he and Voldemort were closely related.

"Welcome to Hogwarts newcomers and to our older students welcome back. Before we eat I have something to say: Bark, Ruff and Growl. That is all, let's eat." Tyler took back his previous thoughts, he was actually crazy.

After they ate, Professor Dumbledore stood and called for silence. "Now I have a few items which need to be discussed. First I would like to tell the first years and remind our older students that the Dark Forest is strictly forbidden and shouldn't be entered. Next I would like to say that no magic is to be used in the corridors between classes. Also I would like to take the time to introduce to you your new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Kenrick Arnold. Good luck Professor."

The new teacher stood and gave a bow while the school went into applause at their new teacher. "He'll need it," said Matt which made Tyler and Regalus break into a small smirk. However, Tyler stopped suddenly because he noticed something about Professor Arnold. He was looking straight at Tyler with a calculating look. But he sat back down and Dumbledore continued.

"Lastly I want to guarantee you all that the school will make you feel safe from whatever happens outside. There should be no need for worry." Tyler noticed the new students let out breathes of relief at this.

After that, Tyler along with Matt and Regalus went down toward the common room in the deeper levels of the castle.

"Hey Regulus, I notice you're not a prefect since you're not leading the new first years to the common room" stated Matt.

"No, Nott got chosen instead of me. But I don't mind, didn't fancy being one anyway,"

"Nott? Alex?" asked Tyler.

"No, Alex's older brother Theo from my year." Of course, Prefects were only chosen in fifth year so it couldn't be Alex Nott.

Tyler soon found his bed and fell asleep. It felt good to be back here again.

When Tyler and Matt got their timetables from Reckler, they saw they had DADA classes first today.

"I guess we'll be the first to know how Arnold is like."

"Let's hope he's better than Gellman was," said Tyler hopingly. Professor Gellman taught more theory and barely any practical lessons.

He met with Jacke, Reggie and Brad and told them that he had Arnold first and they asked to tell him how he taught to see if it would be worth even going to his classes. Of course this was said by Jacke while Brad looked amused by it and Reggie looked annoyed. Matt urged Tyler to hurry on to the Defense classroom eager to see how their new teacher was like. He bid his friends farewell and hurried after Matt. Matt looked excited when they arrived at the door while Tyler still had a funny feeling about Arnold especially from that look last night. The Slytherins all sat down and waited until Professor Arnold showed up.

"Welcome class. I am Professor Arnold, your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. I found some of your previous teacher's notes on what you covered and will take over. For those who question my capabilities, I was a member of the Dark Force Defense League and have since retired."

Everyone gave impressed looks. Tyler was also interested to see how a former Defense League wizard would teach them.

"Now we will start the year with a little amateur dueling to show you the basics. The first spell which I will show you is a little basic to be considered useful in your minds but can be real handy in a few cases, the disarming charm. Now all of you stand, towards the front of the room please."

They all went towards the front while Professor Arnold moved the desks and chairs to the sides leaving a big open space.

"Alright now, first we'll annunciate the incantation without a wand, so please follow my lead. Expelliarmus.

"_Expelliarmus_" chanted the class.

"Pretty good. Okay now, I will set up some target dummies for you. _Accio_!"

With that spell, four dummies with their arms out carrying a stick came out of the cabinet across the room where he led them to one side of the class and started to set up students to a dummy to start.

"Okay, first up will be Carroway, Solemn, Nott, Stellers. Start us off please."

Tyler and his dorm mates along with a girl in dark red hair that he knew whose name was Morgan Stellers stepped up to their positions, wands out.

"Ready...1,2,3, Cast!"

"_Expelliarmus_!" shouted them all. Tyler's dummy lost an arm, which was lucky compared to how the other dummies turned out especially Nott's, which was ripped in half before it hit the wall.

"Okay...that was pretty good for a first try. Two points for every one of you to Slytherin. Now Rowens, Moore, Barrett, Oarlock, you're up." While Zack Moore and the other slytherin girls stepped up to try their charms, Tyler sat at one of the chairs at the side of the room to watch. He noticed that Professor Arnold was looking at Tyler like he had seen him before but couldn't remember where. Instead of letting Tyler know he noticed he busied himself with chatting with Matt and the other slytherins that weren't practicing. They received around the same results as Tyler's group and this earned Slytherin House eight more points. "Well for the rest of the class practice on the dummies in pairs and try to concentrate on not damaging the dummy" he said in a pleading voice.

Tyler partnered with Matt and for the remainder of the hour, tried to disarm the stick from the dummy's arm without damaging it. Professor Arnold kept repairing the dummies after every attempt but Tyler noticed that he was still observing him like a research subject. Tyler didn't know whether to be cautious or if he was just getting paranoid. When the bell rang all '_Expelliarmus_' shouts were gone. And Professor Arnold called out to them while packing.

"For homework, please practice disarming for next time we meet. We'll spend some more time on working with the dummies and then on each other."

There were impressed looks on all of the 2nd year Slytherin faces even Tyler. Professor Arnold may have stricken Tyler as weird but he did know how to teach. Matt seemed to share this belief.

"Wow that Arnold sure knows how to give a class. He's way better than Gellman ever was."

"Yeah, he is."

He then saw the Gryffindor second years, among them Jacke, on their way to Arnold's class. Jacke had a face that clearly asked "Well?" and Tyler nodded his head in an excited face knowing the kind of lesson he'll soon be getting.

End of Chapter 3

Author Notes:

Well there you have it. Professor Arnold does give off the weird vibe that there is something weird about him. Don't worry there is an explanation which I'll leave for you to guess. The next chapter is called "Team Training and Tryouts" which will have Tyler trying out for the Quidditch team on his new Silver Arrow broomstick. Also the start of the animagi training.

Also I would like to say that I'm disappointed that no one has reviewed as of yet. To those who read but don't review I recommend you do. I accept flames because they tell me what my public wants or doesn't want. So please REVIEW! Please.


	4. Team Tryouts and Training

**Quest of the Seekers: Animals Within**

Year Two at Hogwarts

Chapter 4: Team Training and Tryouts

Two weeks had passed after that lesson with Professor Arnold. They still worked on trying to perfect their disarming and especially the control they had. Tyler's charm...was more than effective especially when he was with Matt and he forced him back while his wand blew off his hand. They had also started to learn the crazy Jelly Legs Jinx. Tyler still thought it was strange how Professor Arnold looked at Tyler like he was being studied. But he didn't want to make his friends think he was a paranoid guy afraid of everything that set it's eyes on him so he kept it to himself.

On the announcement board at the Slytherin common room, there were a lot of people gathered around chatting excitingly. This attracted the three slytherin pals.

"Hey Regulus," started Matt. "Do you know what all that's about?"

"I'll go check."

He went over to the board and came back a little excited.

"It's been put up that there are tryouts for the new team seeker at 5:00 today."

"What? Really?" said Tyler almost yelling.

"Wow Tyler. Take it easy there mate. Don't get too excited."

"I can't help it Regulus. I have been waiting for this ever since Madam Hooch said I would have a chance to get in."

"Do you have a broom ready?" Matt seemed to be behind Tyler on this claim.

"Yeah, my family got me a Silver Arrow."

"A Silver Arrow!" said Regulus and Matt at the same time, at the same tone.

"Yeah, it was a birthday gift."

"But they haven't been made for decades. Those brooms are classic models that haven't been bested even with the new times."

"With that kind of broom you'll take the position easily."

"Thanks guys. Aren't you going to try out too?"

"Nah" said Matt.

"I don't fancy being on a team. I like watching the games rather than being in them." But before Tyler could leave Regulus reached out for him. "Wait..."

Tyler quickly went back to the Slytherin levels to drop his stuff off when his last class was over. He grabbed his broom and headed for the pitch and saw that he was half an hour early. That was fine with him because he wanted to try out his new broom because he hadn't had a chance to fly it yet. He mounted it and zoomed off into the air. The broom felt very steady and made way better turns than the school brooms they trained with last year. After twenty minutes of zooming throughout the pitch, he saw Jacke, Brad and Reggie approaching and take seats in the stands. He flew down to them.

"Hey, what are you all doing here?"

Jacke answered him. "I saw you rush out of the dungeons and run out here. I caught up with Regalus and he said that you were training for the quidditch team in a few minutes. We thought we should root for you and give you our support."

"Wow...thanks, thanks a lot." Tyler was touched how his friends could root for him even thought it wasn't their own teams he was going for. "But, I'm not trying out for any of your house teams. How are you going to decide which to root for?"

"We'll worry about that. You worry about getting on the team. Let's hope that we'll be playing against each other instead of just watching."

"Watching? Oh right." He had almost forgotten that Madam Hooch recommended that they go and try to join their teams too.

"I guess that will make the problem of who we root for a bit worse, huh?" commented Jacke.

"Hey look," said Reggie pointing. "Here comes the Slytherin Quidditch team."

Out came the six remaining players from last years line up. The captain led the way. Tyler thought he looked a little on the pushy side with his brown bangs and an expression that looked irritated. Right behind them were a few people with brooms over their shoulders. 'They must be the competition' thought Tyler nervously. Also a few other people were starting to come by, probably to watch.

"Hello. I'm Ben Oakmire, the captain and one of the chasers. Here are the other two: Magnus Gansley and Andrew Crump. These two are the beaters: Jeffrey Dellen and Patrick Tanner. Okay! Let anyone whose tying out for seeker come by! Line up right here."

Tyler saw about four other guys come up with their brooms and Tyler saw that he seemed to be the youngest. The competition scared him a bit but he had to think positive. Oakmire got everyone's attention again.

"All right, first up," he read a clipboard and seemed to be making a choice "Mulciber, you're up." A seventh year that looked pretty tough stepped up and mounted his broom while Captain Oakmire let go of a snitch. "You'll have five minutes to at least locate the snitch, bonus for catching it. Ready...1...2...3...Go!"

This exercise repeated three times. So far nobody could catch the snitch. Mulciber, Mayherne were the only two to find the snitch but were unable to catch it in the time limit. When Vole landed it became Tyler's turn

"Solemn, you're up." Oakmire looked at him like he was bored and angry. Tyler knew why he seemed so grouchy. After all, he just finished flying lessons and the other participants couldn't catch the snitch and there were no more people to choose from. "1,2,3, Go!"

Tyler took off for the center of the pitch leveled with the rings and started to search for the snitch. He looked so hard that he thought his eyes were going to come out. He really wanted to be on the team because he just loved quidditch and flying and to play would be worthwhile. He looked around toward one of the hoop ends and couldn't see anything glimmering. He looked at his watch to see that he lost two minutes already. 'Staying here isn't going to help me' thought Tyler. He was about to fly off toward the opposite end but he just stopped halfway there.

He just remembered what Regulus had said and he flashbacked to before he left the common room that morning.

"Wait, Tyler, I think you should remember this Slytherin saying for luck. "When a place is searched top to bottom, check it again."

He looked back at the end where he just finished looking before and he noticed a tiny bright light. It was the golden snitch! He took his Silver Arrow and launched himself toward that snitch. It's wings let out a buzzing sound as it tried to avoid Tyler's outstretched arm. Tyler pushed on his broom harder and finally had his hand keeping a struggling snitch in his hand. But then a fear hit him; did he run out of time? He looked at his watch. He had 20 seconds left and let out a breath of relief now that he knew he caught it on time. 'Thanks for the advice Regulus' he thought as he was coming down.

"Well" said Oakmire. "I must say that I'm impressed Solemn. What's your first name?"

"Tyler."

"Well Tyler, you just made the team."

At that second, Tyler jumped and clicked his feet together in the air but didn't want to make himself look like a fool in front of all the older slytherins. He thanked them and headed for the rock valley where the cave was. He then jumped and shouted at the top of his lungs in happiness.

He was on the team. He was on the house team. He was on the Slytherin House team. He was the seeker on the Slytherin House Quidditch team! No matter how it was thought or said it all sounded good to him. But then he heard shouts that didn't belong to him.

"You did it mate!"

"You were great!"

"Congratulations Tyler!"

It was Jacke, Brad and Reggie.

"Thanks. So when do you guys tryout for your teams so I could cheer for you?"

"I tryout tomorrow" said Jacke.

"Saturday morning" said Reggie.

"My tryout is later that afternoon" finished Brad.

"What positions are you trying out for?"

"Seeker" said all three at the same time.

"Well if you make it then we'll be playing against each other all the time. I'll look forward to them."

"Yeah me too" said Jacke. "Reggie, do you have the book. We should start on the new transformation since we're here."

"Yeah I have it. Let's go."

"Wow, you of all people urging us on to do something against the law. I must be dieing," said Brad with a smirk.

"Shut up."

They all climbed into the entrance and were soon back in the spacious cave they used when they were first becoming elementals. Reggie pulled out the Animagi book.

"Okay, did you guys decide what animal you want to be?"

"I want to be a snake," said Tyler. He was wondering how it would feel like to be a snake like Chaos and Serpentine and this was the perfect chance.

His friends were looking at him uneasy until Brad spoke "Why a snake Tyler?"

"I just like snakes. I am a slytherin after all." They stilled stared at him like he said something strange.

Then Brad talked again with his eyes still on Tyler "Well...in that case I'll be a badger to be a proud hufflepuff.

"Eagles and a Ravenclaw are the obvious choice." Reggie was in his element.

"Well, I'm not going to be left out. I was going for a panther but I'll become a lion so it'll be like we're our house emblems come to life."

"Yeah, we'll become the Hogwarts mascots."

"Mascots?" said the two pureblooded wizards.

"Muggle thing" said Brad and Reggie and Brad finished. "They're animals used for cheering at games."

"Well, you learn something every day," said Reggie amused. "Brad, did you learn the spell?"

"I studied it back to front."

"Okay then, cast it now."

"Alright, lets get ready."

End of chapter four

I'm not the weakest link: Thank you for reviewing and I hope you're story hits it off.

Author Notes:

Well there it ends for chapter four at a cliffhanger. Oh I'm so evil. Well don't worry because I have already started on the next one. Did you like the slytherin quotes I used. I got the idea of house terms from Akumasama's stories "Snake who lived". Well the next chapter will have them start their training and the birth of a new group into the magical world. Chapter 5 "The Four Seekers" will be coming on soon.

Also I am on high hopes for tomorrow's release of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I just can't wait to see it.


	5. The Four Seekers

**Quest of the Seekers: Animals Within**  
  
Year Two at Hogwarts  
  
...  
  
Chapter 5: The Four Seekers  
  
"Alright guys, before I cast this spell you have to be thinking of the animal you want to be. You'll have to think on what it is while I cast the spell."  
  
"Wow" said Jacke. "You really studied the spell hard Brad. No one can say Hufflepuffs are idiots now."  
  
"Flattered," said Brad dully but Tyler could find the sarcasm. "Alright lets go." Reggie, Jacke and Tyler closed their eyes as Brad raised his wand. "_Benstium Modian_!"  
  
He let out a white beam that hit his friends and then Brad pointed his wand at himself and re-said the incantation. Tyler felt the pictures of snakes racing through his mind and before his eyes.  
  
After the feeling was gone, Tyler looked at himself to see he didn't seem different. His friends also looked the same but gave off expressions that they spent the last few moments falling from the sky.  
  
"Reggie, what do we do now?"  
  
"Well, according to the book, we start by mentally transfiguring our limbs without our wands. It also says to have patience since it could take years to get results."  
  
"Well then we should start," said Jacke. "If it takes that long then we have to start early if we want to be animagi."  
  
"I'm with you Jacke. I want to be that snake."  
  
"Hold on future Mr.'s Scaly and Furry, we have to make a training program. Didn't you say that this is illegal Reggie?"  
  
"Well if we get registered then it isn't."  
  
"No" said Tyler quickly.  
  
His three friends looked surprised at him and Tyler mentally slapped himself. "Sorry, it's just that I don't want to be asked where I got the book, remember?"  
  
"Oh...right" said Brad. "Well then it'll be a secret. I mean we already have a powerful secret don't we."  
  
"Fine with me" said Jacke. "I like being part of a group with such powerful secrets. Next we become a secret society."  
  
"Like that ever happen. I guess it'll be okay to keep it secret. Let's just be careful in the future okay. It would be real bad if one of us subconsciously transform during a class."  
  
"Like I said earlier, Dejavu," said Brad in a mystifying voice.  
  
...  
  
It had been two days since that time in the cave. At that moment, Tyler, Jacke and Reggie were on the pitch, sitting in the stands wishing Brad luck. He was in his quidditch tryouts and was now zooming after the snitch. He spent around two minutes tailing it until he had it in his hand. He held it up in a winning fashion as he started to land. The peop0le on the Hufflepuff team were clapping at Brad's performance. The captain, Kathy Jackson was seen excitingly writhing on a clipboard and Tyler could've swore she had an overdone smile.  
  
"Alright, now I like to announce our new team's seeker: Brad Carter!"  
  
Tyler, Jacke and Reggie stood from their seats and cheered at their friend's success. Jacke and Reggie had already gotten spots on their teams. This marked that now all four of them were on the same position on their teams.  
  
"Congratulations Brad," said Reggie when they met up with him. They were sitting at their usual relaxing spot on the grounds by a tree.  
  
"Well I guess my spot on the team made our group a sports group."  
  
"Yeah" said Tyler. "We're the seekers on our teams."  
  
"Hey" said Jacke quietly.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Maybe that's what we should call ourselves. The Seekers. We all are already in a group and like any good group we need to have a name for ourselves."  
  
"The Seekers" said Tyler in an undertone. Jacke was right on what he said. They all were seekers on their teams, they all wanted to expand their abilities; they were in a way already a group. Also, it sounded very cool. "I like it."  
  
"It kind of reminds me of what the last group at Hogwarts was called," said Brad. "The Marauders have left and now we have moved in. The Seekers."  
  
"It does make sense, we're in a group. But what is our group going to be about. I don't want to get in trouble in a pranking group."  
  
"Who said we want to prank people. That was the Marauders not us" said Tyler sharply. He still got a little touchy about the Marauders every time they were mentioned. He still hadn't forgotten the fight he had with them. Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew didn't anger him but it was the other two that he had anger towards: James Potter and Regulus' older brother Sirius Black. "And we could dedicate our group to having many adventures and getting all the different kinds of powers we could get."  
  
"I definitely like the sound of that Tyler," said Jacke. "We could learn a whole lot more of the world then here at Hogwarts on its own. So what do you say Reggie? You could look at this as a...very different kind of study group."  
  
"Well it does sound cool," said Reggie in a low voice. "I mean it does have four different wizards so we won't have to worry about which seeker is which...I'm in."  
  
"Great, it's settled. From now on I'm the Gryffindor Seeker."  
  
"You are the Gryffindor seeker," said Brad trying to point the obvious out to Jacke thinking he had forgot.  
  
"No I mean that in our group. Brad, you're the hufflepuff seeker, Reggie, the ravenclaw seeker, Tyler, the slytherin seeker."  
  
"Yeah, we're from now on, **The Seekers**," said Tyler with a high proud voice living up to his slytherin pride. "We'll be way better than the marauders were."  
  
"Yeah but the real things of what we're about will stay a secret unlike them."  
  
"Well I guess we should mark this new group with a hands in."  
  
"What's a hands in Brad?"  
  
"Well, in the muggle world, when friends make a bond or club they put their hands in a pile and as then throw them up."  
  
"Well...that...seems strange but why not try it," Tyler said as shrugging his shoulders. "How does it work?"  
  
"Okay first I put mine like this." He put his hand out in front of him. "Then we stack our hands." Then they put their hands in a stock atop of Brad's. "Then we bring them up and say our group's name on the count to three. Got it?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Definitely."  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Alright, 1,2,3"  
  
Then, as one, they brought their hands up and they chanted "Seekers!" and then after a second they smiled.  
  
"That was great," said Reggie.  
  
"Yeah, muggles do know how to make you happy even though they can't do magic," Jacke said sounding impressed.  
  
"I agree," added Tyler. Then he looked to his watch for the time. "It's getting a little late. I better get going back to the Slytherin common room. I'll see you later fellow seekers."  
  
He waved bye to his friends and headed to the common room. While walking he thought back on what jus happened. He along with Jacke, Brad and Reggie formed their own group, The Seekers. A slytherin, gryffindor, hufflepuff and ravenclaw made their own little gang. Tyler thought he was the luckiest parselmouth to have ever been alive to have friends. But he couldn't rely on luck to get by. There, after all, was a slytherin saying about luck, which he knew was right but still annoyed with it. "Luck is like falling off a broom midair, sooner or later you'll hit the ground."  
  
He arrived at the common room to find Matt working on a charm for Flitwick's class. They had just practiced a time charm, designed to make a puff of smoke with a clock to tell the time, and Matt was a little rusty.  
  
"Hey Matt. Still trying the time charm, huh?"  
  
"Yeah, by the way, where were you this whole time? I wanted to practice with you."  
  
"Oh, I was at the pitch checking out the tryouts for the Hufflepuff team and stayed with my friends after. Brad was picked to be the team's seeker."  
  
"Oh you hung out with them huh?" Matt didn't really like his other friends too much.  
  
"Yeah and it turns out that all four of us got into our house teams and play the same position – seeker."  
  
"Well then...how is it going to affect you guys when you play against each other?"  
  
"Well, I guess that it really won't, after all, we already get affected by our houses being different." He took a look at Matt after saying this. "But really the fact that with us playing against each other will just make it even more exciting."  
  
"I'm sure it will," said a voice.  
  
"Hey Regulus."  
  
"Hi Regulus."  
  
"Hello mates. I couldn't help but overhear about the new...arrangements for you guys."  
  
"Bet you couldn't," Tyler said a little sarcastically.  
  
"I hope you could live up to your words after what I just heard from Nott."  
  
"What did you hear?"  
  
"The first quidditch match of Gryffindor vs. Slytherin was moved up to two weeks from tomorrow."  
  
"But it's supposed to be around Halloween, not around the beginning of October."  
  
"Dumbledore moved the date up."  
  
Tyler had a shocked expression but could still hear Matt mumble, "Now things get interesting." This earned a glare from Tyler.  
  
...  
  
The days leading to the first match seemed to be ticking by like hands on a clock. Perhaps it was due to the fact that it was Tyler's first match or because it was when he would face off against Jacke. Also they became very stressful because of the tension that the Gryffindors and Slytherins showed on each other. Jacke told him about the pats that the Gryffindors gave him to wish him luck. Also, a few slytherins considered trying to send his best friend to the hospital wing but Tyler warned Jacke ahead of time of their plans and helped him avoid traps by sticking with him so the slytherins don't touch him since they wouldn't want to injure him. They would've liked to now that Severus wasn't there to scare them not to but they didn't want to hurt their OWN seeker.  
  
The training that Tyler went through was brutal. Oakmire made a program especially to test Tyler's ability to catch the snitch at the toughest conditions. He ordered the beaters Dellen and Tanner to beat both bludgers at him while trying to find the snitch. It was close but Tyler managed to catch it after 35 minutes but thought it was a relief since he could feel the bludgers brush on him a few times. He felt like choking the Quidditch captain for his "special" training program for him. When he complained Oakmire merely said, "You have to be prepared for the worst."  
  
...  
  
Two weeks later it was time. Tyler still couldn't believe the day had come. Instead of going to the great hall, he sat on the grounds near the stadium, unable to eat breakfast. Then Jacke came up to him and sat beside him. Jacke seemed just as pale and nervous as he was. Tyler and Jacke looked at each other nervously waiting for one of them to talk first. They were at it for two minutes until Tyler decided that he was going to live up to his words. 'Regulus, you did your reverse backtalking again' thought Tyler again a little annoyed at the thought of his older friend. He had done this when he and Jacke have had their argument last year and now he did it again right before they were going to face each other at quidditch. He extended his hand out and Jacke shook it without a second wasted.  
  
"Good luck Jacke because you'll need it."  
  
"Wow...I was going to say the same to you, you stole my line," Jacke said with very obvious sarcasm and mock anger.  
  
"I'm not going to hold back out there."  
  
"Good, because if you did then I would've killed you. Don't expect to win."  
  
"Damn it Jacke, now you stole what I was going to say."  
  
Soon Tyler changed into green quidditch robes. The Gryffindors would be in red.  
  
Oakmire then started to address the team. "Alright, here is the start to a new line of victories. We may have lost the cup to Gryffindor again but now their star players have left and it's time to show what our new players can do against theirs. If you don't give it your all then believe me when I say that I'll make sure you regret it."  
  
'What a motivator' thought Tyler sarcastically.  
  
They were ready at the arena doors and then Tyler could hear the sound of the quidditch commentator starting the game.

End of Chapter five.  
  
Nightlit: I'm glad you are still keeping track of my story line. Also, it's great to see that you kept up with your story. I was really worried you stopped.  
  
Author Notes:  
  
Well like I've said before this is the end of this chapter. Now you know what the title stands for. The Quest of the Seekers refers to their new group The Seekers. Also, I know this chapter didn't have any action in it but don't worry there will be more action coming up. Any good story has it's delays on that which builds its way to it. The next chapter will soon be added. It will be the Gryffindors vs the Slytherins but further more The Gryffindor "Seeker" against the Slytherin "Seeker". It's Jacke vs. Tyler and don't miss it as they try to beat each other to that golden snitch. Chapter 6: Best Friends at Opposite Ends.  
  
Also I saw the third Harry Potter movie and I really liked it. It was very suspenseful. I even got the game for Playstation 2 and I finally beat it! I was working on it for hours a day which left me little time all week to upload the next chapter.  
  
Review and tell me what you think and don't be shy. I'm doing this for you fellow harry potter fans.


	6. Best Friends at Opposite Ends

**Quest of the Seekers: Animals Within  
**  
Year Two at Hogwarts

Chapter 6: Best Friends at Opposite Ends

"I'm Phil Villar, your newest commentator" (the last one had left the school) "Let us bring out our teams! First the Slytherins," which he lowered his tone a bit from before probably due to the fact he was a ravenclaw and not slytherin friendly. "We have the chasers: the captain Oakmire, Crump, Gansley. The beaters Tanner and Dellen, the keeper Mefist and the seeker Solemn!"

Tyler felt his stomach drop at the sight of all the people that would be watching him. He could hear the cheers of all the people in the Slytherin stands and hear a few boos in the other stands. They walked up to the center of the field while Villar spoke the commentary again a little louder than he did for them.

"Now! Here is the Gryffindor team with the chasers: Pettis, Herald, Capland. The beaters: Captain Berkeley, Villar and the keeper Thompson and the seeker Walker! Lets give them a hand folks!"

Clapping erupted throughout the pitch but Tyler could still make out the boos from the slytherins. Across the pitch came the gryffindor team and Tyler caught sight of his best friend Jacke holding a newly released Cleansweep Two model broomstick at his side. Then Madam Hooch approached with the sports trunk and in quidditch referee robes. She stopped in the middle of the field between the two captains.

"Alright now, captains, shake hands please."

Oakmire looked like he was trying to break the Gryffindor captain's hand with that shake but Berkeley didn't flinch. Tyler looked to Jacke again and saw that his eyes were looking at the crowd. He seemed to be as nervous as he was that moment. Tyler just wished that they could just start already.

At that same moment, Brad and Reggie sat in the stands close to the center.

"Who are we gonna root for?"

"I honestly don't know Brad. We want to cheer for both but that's...mad. How do we choose one over the other?"

"What's wrong with just watching them play" said a new voice that was familiar to the two seekers.

Brad and Reggie turned to see Regulus and coming up behind him was Carroway.

"Hey Regulus."

"Hey Regulus, how are you doing there? Hi Carroway."

Carroway just looked away from Brad with an irritated scowl, which Brad chose to ignore. But Regulus graciously shook their hands.

"Hey there guys. Trouble deciding who to root for huh?"

"I'm rooting for Slytherin," said Matt flatly.

"I'm sure Carroway, but we have two friends on opposite teams so it's just hard to decide how's team to choose."

"Yeah" said Brad. "Our best mates are in their first big game and we can only cheer for ones team."

"Well try cheering for just your friends and not just their teams."

Reggie and Brad looked at Regulus with newfound respect. He really was a sensitive, brotherly like guy. No wonder Tyler like him so much. They had heard from the older guys in their houses that Regulus Black was a dull- witted follower. He may have seen like that when he is surrounded by the other fifth year Slytherins but on his own, he was a different guy.

Back at the pitch, all the players mounted their brooms while the snitch and bludgers were released out onto the pitch. Madam Hooch pulled the quaffle out of the box and then hurled it straight into the air. All the chasers scampered in the air to it and Tyler went high in the air with Jacke not far behind. Phil Villar started up again.

"A great take by the new Tanya Pettis, pass to Herald...oh caught off guard by a bludgers hit by Tanner, now slytherin captain Oakmire has the quaffle and is heading for the goal posts, going for it and...oh caught by the lively Sarah Thompson, she passes to Capland, she throws it to Herald...and he nearly gets hit by a bludgers delivered by Dellen, wait Crump is coming after him, oh, got hit by a bludger sent by my own older brother Gill Villar...Herald shoots and he SCORES! 10-0 for Gryffindor!"

The crowd went wild at the sight of the first goal of the season. Jacke clapped on his broom while his eyes still looked at the pitch for the golden snitch. Tyler started to cycle the field looking for it still keeping a watch over Jacke if he caught sight of it first. Oakmire had instructed him to keep going around the field until he found it in his sight because just hovering and waiting for a sign of it was foolish, and he would make an easy target for the bludgers and beaters. A good example of this happened when a bludgers went at him from the quidditch captain Berkeley.

After 35 minutes, the score was Gryffindor 270, Slytherin 240, meaning that the scoring system could go either way. It seemed it all came down to who ended the game, Jacke or himself. Tyler still hadn't seen even a shiny notice of the snitch. This was way different then looking for it when he was alone. Now there were over a dozen people flying around to distract him and make it harder for the snitch to be in his sights. Jacke seemed to be having as much luck as Tyler did because he couldn't find the snitch at his stationary position in the middle of the field. Jacke was looking like he was shaking and Tyler again didn't blame him. He was starting to get nervous and anxious to his stomach.

Reggie and Brad were also starting to get as anxious as them.

"Wow, the scores are not that far apart. This game is too nerve racking"

"I'm with you Reggie. Seeing our friends with so much pressure in this match is making me excited and nervous altogether unless this is a part of quidditch I wasn't told about."

"Relax," said Regulus patting their shoulders. "You don't need to add more wands to the curse."

"Ok, Okay" Brad said breathing deeply trying to calm himself like Regulus said.

"Thanks for the help Regulus but I think it'll be better when the match is actually over," said Reggie.

"What's wrong with you two? It just can't be about Tyler and Jacke. Is there something else?"

"Well" started Brad. "It's just that the two of us could end up in the same position like that."

"You worry too much," said Matt more to himself than to them.

Tyler doubted that the snitch was even still in the country until he finally saw a glint in the air on the west stands area. He zoomed toward it with Jacke on his tail. The snitch picked up speed and went into maneuvers. Tyler was straight in its path, leaning on his Silver Arrow while Jacke was starting to catch up on his Cleansweep Two. The snitch zigzagged on its path making Tyler instinctly take turns slowing him down. Jacke pushed hard to catch up and the zigzagging Tyler made him get closer and closer to him until they became neck and neck. Tyler started to get scared that Jacke just might pass him, because if he did he was as good as done. The snitch went upward and Jacke Tyler stretched their hands forward trying to get a handle on it. They had their hands against the other for the claim on the snitch and brought all of the crowd's attention to them.

"You're not getting that snitch before I do Jacke" chanted Tyler.

"Yeah, well you must have been hit by a bludger pretty hard to say that because I am going to," chanted Jacke right back to his friend and fellow seeker.

The hands started to zone in on the snitch and they went to close in. The hands made trapping movements and one of the hands seized it. Both stared at each other and made the crowd get suspenseful. All the people in stands and all the players in the air wondered the same thing – Was it Jacke Walker or Tyler Solemn? They wondered until Tyler threw his hand up with the snitch struggling.

"Solemn caught the snitch! The match goes to Slytherin who had 370 over Gryffindor with 290" announced Phil Villar clearly disappointed that his brother's team lost.

The stands in the arena exploded with noise. Disappointed groans came from the Gryffindor area and from other areas while the Slytherin section yelled out cheers trying to overpower the rest of the crowd. Jacke looked disappointed and Tyler knew why. His first game and he had lost it. The rest of his teammates in the air then joined Tyler and they gave him good pats on the back.

"Good work there Solemn."

"Perfect flying."

"Nice catch."

"I see that I chose well, good."

"Thanks Oakmire" Tyler looked at him blindly "I think" he added in an undertone.

Slytherins from the stands came down to offer congratulations to the team and Tyler found it hard to get away to find any of his friends. He finally got the chance when Professor Reckler told them to head back to the castle. Tyler ran to the changing rooms and changed into his normal robes and went on a search for Jacke. He asked Herald, who came out of the Gryffindor changing rooms, if Jacke was still there and he answered no with a grudge type of voice.

'Maybe he already went to his common room' he thought. When he headed back to the castle he caught sight of the lake. 'Or maybe not, I wonder.'

Tyler went to the rock valley on the other side to find that the entrance to their cave was sealed. He levitated the rock away and went in to find Jacke there already changed sitting near the pond.

"Mind some extra company mate?" he asked as he went to him.

"Oh no go ahead" he said in a low voice.

Tyler sat beside his friend who was still staring blankly out to the water.

"Is there anything you want to say Jacke? It's okay you know."

"No...well there is one thing."

"You could tell me," Tyler said getting ready if he was going to yell.

"Alright" said Jacke after thinking it over. "I'm not too eager to tell you this but I'm starting to think maybe I really wasn't cut out to play quidditch after all. I mean, I just lost my first game ever."

"Oh please Jacke. You were fantastic out there. For a moment, I thought I wasn't going to make it to the snitch on time. You were a really tough opponent." This brought a little smile to his gryffindor friend's face so he decided to keep going with a little slytherin baiting he got from Regulus. "Though I have to say that you were against me so of course you WERE going to lose."

Jacke glared at him. "Is that so?"

"You bet it is."

Then after glaring at each other they bursted in giggles at each other's faces.

"You sure know how to help people out of bad moods Tyler," Jacke said shaking his head.

"Pure Slytherin talent," Tyler said trying to be smug.

This only made them laugh harder. Jacke seemed better then when they formed their group and their gang's name.

"Try not to get used to it Tyler. I'll win against you next time. There's always next year."

"You, can, dream."

Then they walked out of their cave and headed to the castle.

'What a year' thought Tyler, 'and it's just started.'

Little did Tyler know there was a tall figure keeping an eye on him from afar when he reached the main entrance.

**End of Chapter 6**

Author Notes:

The end of this chapter. Boy, it was fun to decide how the quidditch action should play out. The next chapter is "The Hogwarts Animals" where the seekers start and end their training to be animagi. Confused? Well read the next chapter to be marveled out of your mind through the eyes of animagi. Review.


	7. The Hogwarts Animals

Quest of the Seekers: Animals Within  
  
Year Two at Hogwarts  
  
....  
  
Chapter 7: The Hogwarts Animals  
  
It had been nearly three weeks after the quidditch game. The Slytherins were, as usual, being smug around the Gryffindors when they beat them at something. Tyler knew that this was due to the fact that Gryffindor had beaten Slytherin last year when James Potter, and Sirius Black were on the team and most of the slytherins hated Potter and Black. Bloody hell, Tyler even hated them for what they did to him at the corridor to the common room last year and when Black tried to send a curse at him so Tyler understood but stayed out of it. The other houses were angry right back at the slytherins so Tyler stayed in places where fights weren't usually brought up with his fellow seekers just doing whatever they were doing being it homework, quidditch talk, showing off elemental progress, yadda yadda.  
  
"Hey guys."  
  
"What Reggie?" asked Brad.  
  
"Tomorrow's Halloween."  
  
"Yeah, we already knew that."  
  
"No Tyler, I mean that there is a trip to Hogsmeade scheduled and it will only be first and second years here so I thought we could go to the cave and start up with the Animagus Training."  
  
"Yeah, why not?"  
  
"Okay."  
  
"No objections here."  
  
"Good, how about we meet at the cave five minutes after everyone else leaves?"  
  
...  
  
The day of Halloween had arrived and it was a Hogsmeade weekend. Tyler and Matt were in the common room with Regulus trying to convince him to bring in some stuff for them since they weren't allowed to go to the village yet.  
  
"Just promise us some sweets Regulus."  
  
"Sure mates, as long as you give me the money for it."  
  
"You really know how to be a friend," said Matt glumly with sarcasm.  
  
"Hey, just protecting my money," he said putting his hands up in surrender.  
  
"Oh...alright." Tyler and Matt then handed Regulus some money to buy them treats from Honeydukes in Hogsmeade.  
  
"There, was that hard?" He got glares from them both. "Just a little Slytherin humor." He shook his head at his friends in laughter and left with the other older slytherins.  
  
"Well what do we do now? The castle's empty except for 1st and 2nd years now."  
  
"Well I already have plans with my friends. Sorry Matt."  
  
"You really spend a lot of time with them," he said suspiciously.  
  
"Well they're my best friends."  
  
"And we're not."  
  
"You and Regulus are, ...its just different."  
  
"Different? We're your own kind."  
  
"Exactly" he said cutting him off. "You guys are important to me including Severus. But Jacke, Reggie and Brad were my first friends and they're important to me too. Just try to understand that, please Matt."  
  
Matt looked at Tyler apparently speechless. Tyler had told him off before but he told him that he was important to him. He had also respected him even though they were arguing.  
  
"Now I can actually start to see why Severus liked you so much." Matt broke into a small smile. "I guess I got a little jealous of them. They're not slytherins but you talk so highly of them as if they were."  
  
"They aren't and I respect that."  
  
"Why? I don't get that. Out of all the trouble we get from their houses."  
  
"Which isn't their fault. I don't blame them for what they're house members do to me and they don't blame me for what mine do to them."  
  
"Look Tyler. I got it. I'm not going to change how I feel about them but I'll respect, the FACT, that they're your friends too."  
  
"How were you hanging out around me if you didn't?"  
  
"I just tried to pretend that they weren't around so it would not make me angry."  
  
Tyler looked at his fellow slytherin for a brief moment. Matt was jealous of the other seekers like they had been jealous of him. Green with envy that Tyler had such close friends that weren't, and his friends were envious that Tyler had managed to get friends that were green like him. (A/N: Just a little author joke, green, like the slytherin colors, green with envy, get it?)  
  
Thanks. Well I have to meet them now but I promise I will do something with you when I get back."  
  
He left Matt who went back to the dorm to finish up potion homework. He went to their secret cave which they had earlier nicknamed "The Seekers Cave" in honor of their group and levitated the entrance to find that they were all there already."  
  
"Hey, I'm sorry I kept you guys waiting."  
  
"We've been only waiting around for two minutes."  
  
"Well let's get started." Reggie pulled out the book and rechecked. "Okay lets focus on getting our left arm to change only. Jacke, try to get yours to be a lion's paw, Brad, into a badger's arm, Tyler, vanish it since you don't have any and I'll try to get a eagle's wing."  
  
"Look at you take charge," said Brad with an impressed tone. "It's so hard to believe you were resisting this."  
  
"Like he did last year." Tyler added.  
  
"And he took charge in risking rule breaking like now," finished Jacke.  
  
Reggie looked at Brad like he just woke up from a long sleep then looked at Tyler and Jacke. "I blame you two for that."  
  
"We're flattered."  
  
""Yeah, we are."  
  
Then they all broke out laughing and went throughout the room to start training. Tyler went to the part of the cavern where he had trained using the eel to control lightning. He closed his eyes and thought of being a snake. He tried to imagine that there was no right arm like Reggie suggested but found his imagination wander off. He imagined having emerald green skin, great yellow eyes like Chaos and having a sway looking body. Boy did he like snakes and he wanted to know what it was like. He then realized that he was supposed to be focused on his arm only and that he had drifted off. He opened his eyes so he could get ready to try again but found that he was on the floor.  
  
'Did I collapse to the ground while I was daydreaming' he thought.  
  
He tried to get up but found he couldn't move his arms. He went to look to why his arms weren't moving but saw he had an extended neck. He also saw that he had no arms at all! He wanted to scream but let off a hiss of parseltongue. For a second he thought he got confused and let his other language slip until he moved to the pond.  
  
It turned out that he didn't get confused. He became a snake similar to Chaos' appearance except for the emerald green skin while Chaos had dull green with spots.  
  
He was completely shocked at what happened. What did happen? He looked to see his friends for help but saw they weren't in the cave. His eyes were really sharp in this new form. He, however, found a lion moving around. He tensed with fear until he saw an eagle on the floor and a badger too. Then it hit him, those weren't wild animals, they were his fellow seekers. The lion had to be Jacke, the badger was Brad and the eagle was Reggie. Suddenly Tyler wished he could be his old human self again and a second later, where the snake used to be stood Tyler in his recognizable form.  
  
'How the bloody hell did that happen?' He couldn't think of how he changed and changed back. 'All I wanted was to be that snake and I turned into it and then I just wished I could turn back and I did.' Then Tyler mentally slapped his head. 'That could be the secret.' He then walked to the animal forms of his best friends.  
  
"Guys you have to wish to turn back into your human selves. Trust me."  
  
The animals looked like they were lost but after a few moments, the recognizable forms of Reggie, Brad and Jacke were in their place.  
  
"What...What the bloody hell happened?!" Jacke was shocked beyond those words even more than when he and Tyler attacked Professor Gellman. Jacke then looked at Reggie. "I thought you said it would take years, how come we did it on the first try?!!"  
  
"I...I...I honestly have no clue."  
  
That was not the answer they wanted to hear. If Reggie had no idea of how they did that then who did. Brad looked like he was going to scream with the amount of shaking he was doing.  
  
"Brad could you stop," Tyler snapped at him. "You're going to make me nervous."  
  
Brad then extended his hand out to the pond and had a few drops of water hit him in the face. Obviously, he wanted to cool off but was too nervous to manipulate correctly. Then something happened to make everyone jump. Jacke let out a loud  
  
"Wait!"  
  
"Don't do that!" shouted the other three.  
  
"Sorry, but I think I may know why. Reggie, is it possible that our elemental powers have anything to do with this?"  
  
Reggie hit his head with his hand and a "Why didn't I think of that sooner," could be heard from his mouth.  
  
"Of course, the elemental potion made us sensitive to the powers of the earth. It must've made our bodies sensitive to transformation even after we became elementals and not limit it to that."  
  
"So we really did it?" Brad looked marveled at this and Tyler couldn't blame him in the slightest. "We really became animagi?"  
  
"Yeah...I guess we did."  
  
"Well that sure beats waiting for years so I could see what I look like as a lion animagus. By the way Tyler, did I look good mate?"  
  
"You were dashing," said Tyler flatly trying to mess around with him.  
  
"Guys hold on. I think our new transformations might have a new twist."  
  
"What do you mean Reggie?"  
  
"Well Brad, the elemental potion made our transform quicker but maybe it also affected our transformation attributes?"  
  
"English please?" said Jacke loving to use the muggle term Brad had told them about weeks ago.  
  
"Maybe we can change our animal forms to how we like. You know, like the size or something like that."  
  
"Well let's try it."  
  
Tyler and his friends wished they were animals again and for the second time tonight transformed. He wished that he was a little smaller and sure enough the snake form of Tyler got to be a quarter of the size less. He then worked to be as big as a house but stopped growing to be about almost as half as big then the length he originally was.  
  
He looked at his counterparts to see similar results. Reggie made his bird form a little more stout and taller but stopped at around his own height. The badger form that was Brad looked like a baby badger that immediately grew to be confused as one that was hit with a charm to make it bigger. The lion had fun prancing around changing his size as he pranced.  
  
Tyler wished himself back and wondered why didn't he get bigger. After his friends got back to normal he asked.  
  
"Reggie, why didn't we grow any bigger. I wished to be as tall as the roof but only got around...here," he said putting his hand at the top of his head.  
  
"Oh I forgot to mention it. The book said that our animal forms don't exceed our own height."  
  
"So we can only get as big as ourselves?" Jacke asked pointing out the obvious. "Well that's not too bad since we haven't found uses for our forms yet."  
  
Brad looked at his watch and Tyler was shocked to learn that it had been four hours. Time seemed to zipping by.  
  
"Look guys, I better get back and its been a long day. We'll talk more later. But I have to say one more thing." He then spoke in a tone similar to Reggie. "Be careful, don't wish to change or you'll blow our cover." He than ran off to the common room leaving a snickering Jacke, smiling Brad and an annoyed Reggie.  
  
End of Chapter 7  
  
...  
  
Nightlit: I'm glad to see you're back in the game but I couldn't really understand the review you sent. Could you be a little clearer next time with the spelling mistakes? Not meaning to sound rude. And please update your story please. I'm dying with suspense.  
  
...  
  
Author Notes:  
  
Well they finally managed it. Don't think the story is over just yet. No it still the beginning. The next chapter will have the most dangerous secret kept in the wizarding world revealed. How will this affect the rest of Tyler's life or his family's. It "Tyler's Secret Exposed."  
  
On another note. I notice that I'm not getting too many reviews even though I see I'm on a few favorite lists. I now you guys appreciate my stories but I want more reviews to tell me what you think. I'm starting to think that I shouldn't update as fast as I do to force some on. Or worse, always end my chapters in cliffhangers and still put longer delays on chapters instead of loading new ones 3 to 6 days. Keep this in mind. Now Review, please. 


	8. Tyler's Secret Exposed

**Quest of the Seekers: Animals Within**  
  
Year Two at Hogwarts  
  
.....  
  
Chapter 8: Tyler's Secret Exposed  
  
.  
  
Tyler got back to find Regulus back from his trip and already handing Matt treats. He made his way to them through all the people almost bumping into a few on the way. He was still excited from what had just happened at the cave.  
  
"Regulus, hey, did you bring me my new supply from Honeydukes?"  
  
"Here you go, a fresh supply of Fizzing Whizbees, Sugar Quills and Honeydukes Chocolate. All for you Tyler."  
  
"Thanks seeing as how I gave you the money for them."  
  
Matt and Tyler played Exploding Snap while discussing what might Arnold show them in their next class.  
  
"You just know that he going to start pairing us off for dueling practice. We have been learning dueling jinxes and hexes from him this whole time so it's pointless if we don't practice on each other."  
  
"Matt, it's close to the end of the term. He might just hold off on that until after we come back from the Christmas holidays."  
  
"Whatever, I just have a feeling about this. I just want to duel now because it seems so...ruthless."  
  
Tyler didn't really care about the pace Professor Arnold put their class on. He still thought he was weird from all the looks he shot Tyler before.  
  
...  
  
However, as time went on, Professor Arnold seemed to get even weirder towards Tyler. Before when Tyler noticed, Arnold always looked at him like he was a person he couldn't remember and now he looked at Tyler with a flare behind his eyes like he was a nasty something in his path. He proved his suspicions of having something against Tyler by instructing him to only try to dodge while Matt, who had partnered with him, try to use the Force Hex on him in the middle of the classroom where all the other slytherins could see.  
  
"Now go," Arnold instructed Matt in front of the class.  
  
Matt raised his wand "_Averte Stature_!"  
  
Tyler moved to the left and was barely able to dodge it but felt his hair wave back.  
  
"Again Mr. Carroway," Professor Arnold shouted.  
  
"_Averte Stature_!"  
  
This time Tyler got connected in the chest with it and was rolled back and landed flat on his back. Matt gave him a sorry kind of face when Arnold asked another one to be thrown. Tyler got hit again and when he got up drew out his wand to strike back.  
  
"Not so fast Solemn. You could be wandless when you get attacked and you'll keep getting Carroway's attacks until you dodge them five straight times like I have on certain occasions."  
  
Tyler wanted to comment on how unfair that was but Matt had already sent another force hex, which got him to land on his bottom. He tapped into his seeker reflexes and started to dodge Matt's spells until it was five straight times.  
  
After that was over Tyler felt like sending his own force hex at his dark arts professor. ' I vow on my Slytherin honor and as a member of the seekers that Arnold won't get away with this' he satisfyingly thought.  
  
"Alright," restarted Arnold. "Now that the Force Hex has been demonstrated, I will now tell you of its weakness. As Mr. Solemn showed us" Tyler gritted his teeth at this but no one noticed, "the force hex is slower and dodge able compared to _Flipendo_, the Flipper Hex. Although it is more powerful, I recommend that you use it with wit and instinct on a fast target."  
  
The bell then rang and Professor Arnold dismissed the class. Tyler cursed out loud when he was sure he was out of their teacher's earshot.  
  
"What's wrong with Arnold?! He always made me think he was weird but now he's a plain git!"  
  
"Yeah, he seems to hate you Tyler" smirked Matt.  
  
"Thanks Matt, that really helps," he said with annoyed sarcasm.  
  
"Sorry about the spells" Matt really was. "I couldn't not cast them or Arnold might've made me be on the receiving end with you."  
  
"It's alright but you didn't have to aim so well."  
  
Matt laughed at that which made Tyler roll his eyes.  
  
"Come on, cheer up Tyler. Your time at Hogwarts at least couldn't get any worse than that."  
  
...  
  
It became late mid-December and there was a chill in the air announcing the end part of the fall and the beginning of the winter season. Tyler, Jacke, Regulus and Matt were sitting on the pitch stands watching the second match of the season: Ravenclaw vs. Hufflepuff. So far it was Ravenclaw 190 and Hufflepuff was at 60. Reggie and Brad were circling the field, close to each other so it would be easier to keep the other in their sights.  
  
Tyler was torn on who, of his fellow seekers, to root for like they had been for his match with Jacke.  
  
"Jacke, who are you rooting for?"  
  
"To tell you the truth Tyler, I've been too busy looking for the snitch that I haven't had time to pick."  
  
"Looking for the snitch? But we're not even playing this one."  
  
"Force of habit," he said simply.  
  
"Oh enough you two. Your friends went through the very same thing during you match and I don't want to be hearing that problem again." Matt was breathing a little hard from that outburst.  
  
"They did?" said the two seekers simultaneously.  
  
"Yeah and Regulus here straightened them out to root for the best out of you two rather than the teams you were on or the outcome. Now Tyler, Walker, could you stop talking so I could watch?!"  
  
"Is he always this grouchy mate?" asked Jacke in a whisper he was sure Matt couldn't hear.  
  
"Sometimes but you learn to mind it," answered Tyler. He then went to face Regulus. "I didn't know you talked to Reggie and Brad like that." 'He must be loosening up towards them' he thought afterwards.  
  
Regulus looked at Tyler nervously. "Yeah...well they seemed like they needed it. Oh look Ravenclaw scored again," he said trying to get the attention off of him.  
  
"Tyler thought the Ravenclaw chasers were very talented. 'Oakmire, Gansley and Crump will have their hands full when we face them after the holidays.'  
  
The game continued for another eleven minutes until the snitch had been spotted by Brad and Reggie. They chased after it until it was clearly in Brad's hand. Phil Villar went into his usual announcing shouts.  
  
"And...Brad Carter, the new seeker for the Hufflepuff team, has caught the snitch. However Ravenclaw still wins at 260 to 210 points!"  
  
...  
  
Reggie and Brad came out of the changing rooms to sit on the grounds by the tree where they all played games together with. The grounds were empty since everyone was either celebrating, talking about the last quidditch match or getting ready to go home for the holidays. Regulus and Matt went to the castle to get dinner but Tyler and Jacke weren't hungry yet. They also wanted to Brad and Reggie alone and joined them at the meeting tree. They had all worn sweaters under their cloaks because the weather had gotten a bit too cold to sit outside without freezing to death without it.  
  
"Great catch Brad."  
  
"Thanks Jacke."  
  
"Ah, I just went easy on him. I would've caught that snitch sooner but I had dust blown in my eyes."  
  
"That's funny because it looked to me that you were trying your hardest and were seeing quite fine Reggie." This earned Tyler a playful glare from Reggie. "But don't feel bad, your team still won. The chasers were incredible out there. The rest of our teams will be having a field day trying to get by them."  
  
"Well, I do have to agree on that. Ravenclaw is going to get the cup this year."  
  
Jacke interrupted with "You forget who won it last time."  
  
"True but there are new lineups everywhere so don't hold your breath Jacke," added Brad. "Hufflepuff does have me now."  
  
"But Slytherin has me." Tyler was starting to love this.  
  
"We'll just see who is right or wrong come the end of the tournament."  
  
Reggie's words brought an end to that topic but Jacke brought up another one.  
  
"It's been a while when we just been together without worry about homework, quidditch, training or the school rivalries. It's the first time where the Seekers can lay back together.  
  
"Yeah...it's very nice."  
  
At that moment, Tyler laid flat on his back to the ground and at this the other 3 seekers followed suit. This had the be the most heart stopping event in all of Hogwarts history. Four twelve-year-old boys, each belonging to a different house just lazyingly lying on the ground enjoying each other's company. Tyler felt that time was standing still. Jack was enjoying just laying down on the ground. Brad took in the great feeling of being with the friends he had made coming into the wizarding world. Reggie thought that Tyler and Jacke may fool around a lot but sometimes they had the right idea.  
  
A breeze started to blow over the Seekers and it made the hufflepuff seeker shiver. "Whew, it's starting to get colder. Lucky it isn't snowing today. Maybe we should head back."  
  
"Hold on," said Jacke before they could get up. "Are you forgetting about the gryffindor member of the seekers being a fire elemental?" Jacke shrewd his eyes in concentration and extended his hands to make a string of fire surround them, which warmed the air.  
  
"Cool, an outdoor furnace."  
  
"What's a furnace?" asked Tyler and Jacke.  
  
"I'll tell you later," assured Reggie.  
  
Then Tyler could've swore he heard Chaos' hissing voice. He wondered what his snake was doing out here when he told him to be in the dormitory so he could pack him when it was time to pack to go home. He strained his ears and found that the voice wasn't that of Chaos. 'He has a deeper voice than that one' he thought. He then heard it loud enough to tell what the voice was saying.  
  
"_What's wrong? Is it spring already? I'm in the need for food then_."  
  
Tyler swung his head around to find a young coral snake. He could tell because his red bands were with his yellow ones. Tyler had looked at a book all about snakes before coming to Hogwarts to satisfy his love for snakes. He, however, was not happy to see a coral snake since he knew they were poisonous.  
  
It was going close to Jacke's arm. However its tail end rubbed against Reggie's arm alarming him to the snake's presence.  
  
"Jacke...take care not to move...there's a snake...next to you."  
  
Jacke tensed at this and moved his eyes to it. "Can't you curse it or something?"  
  
"We didn't bring our wands because of the match. Tyler? Did you?"  
  
Tyler nodded in a no type fashion. He hadn't brought his wand. Brad was muttering something under his breath.  
  
"Red with black, poisons be lack. Red with yellow, not a good fellow."  
  
"What are you doing?" Jacke said with an urgent voice.  
  
"It tells me that that snake is poisonous. It's a coral snake song I was taught in primary school in the muggle world."  
  
"Well, that news sure helps. Now could you do something?" Jacke whimpered. He then shrewd his face in concentration again. It looked to the others that he was going to try to use his elemental powers on the snake which they should've done because it would've forced the snake back since they weren't accepted or whatever. But it became apparent that Jacke wasn't trying to use his fire powers because he then sneezed.  
  
The snake panicked from Jacke sudden movement and it went into hysterics. It opened its mouth and bared its fangs to attack its "attacker". It moved to strike and went for Jacke and something inside Tyler snapped.  
  
"_Wait, don't_!" he hissed to the snake.  
  
The snake stopped immediately and looked at him puzzlingly. "_Isn't this boy attacking me_?"  
  
"_No he's just as scared of you as you are of him. Go back to your hibernation and all will be well. I'm sorry but it appears my friend's fire power woke you up and I apologize_." He pointed his finger like an enforcement official at the ground near the snake.  
  
The snake slid right into the hole and Tyler breathed out a sigh of relief at the thought of talking sense into the snake. Just then Tyler's head dawned an expression to match his feelings perfectly. He had just realized that he had spoken parseltongue, in public, in front of his friends.  
  
He slowly looked to his friends and felt his stomach drop when he did. Brad looked like Tyler had fallen from the sky and seemed to be frozen in shock. Reggie looked at him with hesitation like he didn't want to look at him but couldn't help it. Then Tyler looked toward Jacke and it was his expression that made his insides freeze up. Jacke's jaw was quivering and he had a mixture of fear and shock in his eyes. Tyler quickly got up from the ground and ran. He ran from them, from his friends, from the first people Tyler connected with and ran full force to his common room leaving the three other seekers speechless on what they learned of their friend and fellow seeker.  
  
...  
  
End of Chapter 8  
  
.  
  
Author Notes:  
  
There you have it for chapter eight. What exactly is up with Professor Arnold anyway? Tyler's secret has been exposed to his friends. What will happen now? Is this the end of Tyler's life? Will this be the end of his family? The end of his time at Hogwarts? THE end of the Seekers? THE END of his friendship with Jacke, Reggie and Brad?...Only time will tell. Give me your reviews and make it a lot and I won't keep you all in suspense for so long. No reviews and you'll have to suffer. Ha, Ha, Ha, I'm getting so evil now. 


	9. Fear during a Happy Time

**Quest of the Seekers: Animals Within**  
  
Year Two at Hogwarts  
  
...  
  
Chapter 9: Fear during a Happy Time  
  
.  
  
Tyler charged into the second year dorms and was relieved that it was empty.  
  
"_Chaos_," he hissed lowly. "_Chaos, are you in here_?"  
  
His faithful snake appeared from under his bed and slithered to his side. "_What's wrong Tyler_? _Your voice is very shaky today_."  
  
"_I blew it! I did the most stupidest thing in my family's history_!"  
  
"_What happened_?"  
  
"_I revealed my ability to speak to snakes to my friends. I might as well jump off the Astronomy tower because I'm as good as dead_."  
  
"_Why master_?"  
  
"_When they'll tell everyone what they've learned about me and I could expect to be in Azkaban in a week. Also, stop calling me master_!"  
  
"_You don't have to yell at me Tyler_."  
  
Tyler just had to breathe out the deepest, calming breath to stop himself from continuing yelling at Chaos. He was the only one who he could talk to about this.  
  
"_I'm sorry Chaos...I'm just very scared right now_."  
  
"_Didn't your father give you instructions if you ran into this kind of trouble_?"  
  
"_Well, he taught me the memory charm but I didn't have my wand so I couldn't put it on them and now it's too late for that. He also said to send Pandy if there was trouble_."  
  
"_Great, then send Pandy to your dad and tell him what happened so he could help you_."  
  
Tyler put thought on this and thought that Chaos had a point. His father was a pretty clever and strong wizard and knew he wouldn't stop until he would have his son in the comfort of safety. But then that thought made Tyler realize that that could be a bad thing.  
  
"_No_."  
  
"_What, by why not_?"  
  
"_Don't you see Chaos? If I owl my dad then he'll risk everything to help me_."  
  
"_Which is what a father is supposed to do_."  
  
"_But if I'm found out then my father will face the same fate as I do. Or...what if this turns out just like my dad seeing great grandpa taken away. I don't want him to go through that again because of a stupid mistake I did. Also, imagine how disappointed he'll be when he finds out that, me, the heir to Salazar Slytherin's wand, the one who is to be the Slytherin family's last hope, messed up our cover. I can't live with myself if any of that happened_."  
  
Tyler started to break down to tears when he finished. He was so worried about what was going to happen now. What if the news had gotten to Dumbledore? There was no way his dad would be able to stop Dumbledore from dealing with him. Just then Tyler started to wipe his tears away with his sleeves. Now was not the time to be crying. He had to pack up! What if faculty or ministry members were on their way this second. Also he couldn't bear letting Chaos seeing him like this.  
  
"_I gotta pack_."  
  
"_Wait Tyler. What if your friends don't tell anyone? Wouldn't you be safe_?"  
  
"_You don't get it Chaos. Jacke and Reggie were brought up to learn that parseltongue is among the darkest arts that are in existence. Also they were raised to know that Parselmouths are evil wizards and future dark lords. Thanks to my cousin, Voldemort, they'll be especially scared of me now. Brad surely was told all about my kin by his house members and to be especially scared of us because he's muggleborn. They are sure to tell somebody about this_."  
  
It was amazing to see that Tyler was able pack and talk quickly to Chaos at the same time without spilling his possessions everywhere.  
  
"_Tyler, you're their friend. Surely they would know you better than that now_."  
  
"_Chaos, they don't know me at all!"_ This struck Chaos speechless_. "You don't see it yet. I lied to them about my name, my family and my identity! I immediately became a complete stranger to them and...and, oh I just gotta pack up. We'll talk about this later_."  
  
Tyler then finished packing all of his stuff and Chaos away to go at anytime. 'Hopefully, they are still spooked enough to keep it to themselves until I can leave tomorrow. Yeah, I mean...they do need proof because the teachers will think they are just raving. But just in case.'  
  
After that trail of thought he closed his trunk shut, readied his wand in his robe pocket and left the dormitory. He went to the common room and listened in with Regulus and the other older slytherins if there were any rumors and such of a parselmouth discovered. 'One important thing about Hogwarts, you can always count on gossip and rumors to fly fast.' He let out a breathe of relief to know that the top item on everyone's conversation was about the quidditch match that was played earlier.  
  
...  
  
Jacke, Reggie and Brad went into an unused classroom on the first floor after the episode on the grounds. Reggie pointed his wand at the door.  
  
"_Silencio_!" A blue light struck the door.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"It's a Silence Charm that I looked up. We won't be overheard from out of the door."  
  
They stood there in silence for a while. Jacke decided to be the one to have the courage to start the conversation.  
  
"What do we do now?"  
  
"I guess we should tell a teacher," said Reggie.  
  
"I still don't know why? Why did you tell me to not say another word after we saw Tyler run away?"  
  
Jacke and Reggie looked at Brad with a mixture of shock, anger, and fear. Jacke then started.  
  
"Brad, do you know what a parselmouth is?"  
  
"Yeah, some of the other Hufflepuffs told me about them. They said to watch out for them. It's a person that can talk to snakes right?"  
  
"Yes, which is why we let someone know about Tyler," repeated Reggie.  
  
"I'm confused, why tell about Tyler being able to talk to snakes. That's not really our business."  
  
"Brad, I'm going to try to explain why this is serious which is normal since you weren't raised to know this about them. Parseltongue, the language of the snakes, is considered to be one of the darkest arts in wizarding history. Everyone recorded of this talent turned out to become dark lords and wizards."  
  
"Really?...So Tyler's a dark wizard?"  
  
"Come to think of it, it does make sense."  
  
"I don't get it. What do you mean by that Reggie?" asked Jacke.  
  
"Well, didn't you find it odd that Tyler always, got these books on transformations. Remember what he said to us? _Don't ask where I got it_. There is also the fact that Tyler wasn't at all scared to say Voldemort's name when we met him. Also, how he is a master in the dark arts classes. And remember the animal he chose to be: a snake. It all adds up which is why we need to tell one of the teachers."  
  
"You mean tattle on Tyler?"  
  
"Brad, do you know that Voldemort is a parselmouth? Now do you see how serious this is?"  
  
There was an eerie silence following these last words Reggie spoke. The three of the seekers in the room went into drowning thought on the latest fact: Their fellow seeker and best friend, Tyler, was a parselmouth, which he had hid from them.  
  
Reggie was feeling...lost. Tyler had helped to loosen Reggie up and make him learn how to have more fun in his life and take risks, though he still valued work over fun. Tyler wasn't like the other slytherins but now Tyler just became a total stranger.  
  
Jacke was hit harder at this than either of them. Tyler was the first friend he had made going into Hogwarts. He was his bestest friend and felt close to him. He was just like him when it came to fun and adventure. Through his eyes, Tyler and his slytherin friends, mainly Regulus weren't really the typical slytherins, more like half-slytherins. After all that Jacke went through from the other Gryffindors to keep Tyler's friendship this happens. Jacke felt so...betrayed.  
  
Brad lowered his head in thought on this. He couldn't believe that Tyler was a parselmouth. He always thought of him as a good friend, one that was truly special especially coming from Slytherin. He didn't care when he found out that he was a muggleborn and didn't, after the sorting, break things off with him or call him a "mudblood" like a few did. This train of thought set off a set of doubts that cancelled his earlier ones.  
  
"Guys wait a minute. Aren't we judging Tyler too strongly on this?" Jacke and Reggie were both unable to respond to this. "You see, my parents taught me not to judge a person by their skin, religion or language. And like you said earlier Reggie, that's what parseltongue is, just another language."  
  
"But Brad, I explained about parselmouths, look at Voldemort."  
  
"Has Tyler done anything? I mean if he was a dark wizard then why doesn't he call me a mudblood if he supposed to be the worst of slytherins. And why did he share the transformations with us. I think it's a little unfair thinking about him this way because he knows a language we can't speak. He has been a best friend to us this whole time. Jacke, that snake was going to poison you and from the pointing that Tyler did, it looked like he stopped the snake from hurting you. He risked his secret to help you."  
  
Jacke immediately felt the size of a goblet. Tyler had been a terrific friend like after their quidditch match and those times they played games together. Together, they had always had fun and laughed together like any best friend would. And it looked like Tyler did save him and did risk his secret to save him. This snapped Jacke out of the denial that Tyler wasn't who he thought he was. Tyler was the same caring friend from slytherin he had come to know. Before he could think more on the subject, Reggie spoke.  
  
"Yeah, I guess we forgot who he is and started judging him from what he is ignoring everything else. Did you see the look on his face when he ran away? He looked so scared at us. I've never seen him look that scared. He probably knew we might act like this which is probably why he never told us."  
  
"So what do we do now?"  
  
"We should talk to him together." Reggie said this simply answering Jacke's question like it was the most easiest one to answer in the world.  
  
...  
  
Tyler didn't go to the feast that night. He just finished getting his packed trunk down near the fire. He had asked Nott the prefect if it was connected by floo and he assured him that it was. He had borrowed a satchel of floo powder from Matt and had it in hand, ready to floo home at the sign of trouble.  
  
...  
  
The three other seekers had hoped to meet with Tyler at the feast but he wasn't there. Reggie went to Regulus and asked where he was and learned that Tyler was in the common room all by himself and refused to come down.  
  
"There's still the ride home to talk to him," reassured Brad after hearing the news.  
  
But Tyler's actions that following morning stomped that idea away. Tyler came at the earliest time that he could to the station and then he went into a compartment with Matt who he forced to come with him early to Hogsmeade Station.  
  
"Why did you want to come early anyways?" Matt asked after they sat in an annoyed, cranky voice.  
  
"I wanted to get a good seat for the train ride." Tyler just wanted to get to the safety of his home fast and avoid the other seekers at the school.  
  
"Oh but don't you usually ride with your other friends?"  
  
"Yeah...but I decided to ride with you and Regulus this time and they understand."  
  
This seemed to stop him asking questions, which Tyler didn't want asked because he was a nervous wreck. He also didn't want to be confronted by them and get into a fight over him being a parselmouth.  
  
'If they hadn't told anyone then they must want to keep a lid on it or are waiting for something.'  
  
Regulus came in to their compartment several minutes later after saying goodbye to the other slytherins in his year. Tyler made to shut the compartment door so his friends wouldn't find him with his house comrades. They sat in the cozy compartment as the train pulled out of the station and headed toward London.  
  
"Oh Tyler," Regulus said suddenly surprising Tyler. "Sorry, but I wanted to know if Severus wrote you recently?"  
  
"No...not recently. That worries me," he added in a low voice.  
  
"Worries you?" "How could it worry you?" responded his friends.  
  
"Well, I think he could..." he started to whisper but Regulus interrupted with his hand.  
  
"Hold on Tyler." He then pulled out his wand and pointed it at the door. "_Silencio_." The spell hit the door with a blue light. "Okay, Silence Charm, You could talk without whispering because I was barely hearing you. Don't worry, we have complete privacy now."  
  
"Thanks" he said in normal tone. "I just feel that he might've joined the Death Eaters like his father wanted."  
  
"Oh" "I see." It was clear that his friends knew how he felt about Death Eaters. They should've since Tyler spoke up against Severus joining up last year.  
  
"There are more things in the paper about this like that wizard who disappeared, er, Caradoc Dearborn and I can't bear to think if Severus is involved or took part in it. You know what. I'll write him now and ask him."  
  
"What?" Matt blurted.  
  
"You can't just ask that out of the potion mist."  
  
"Please, I'm not going to do that. I'll build up to it. I am a slytherin too you know. I'll slowly conjure my way up to the question.  
  
_Severus,  
  
Hello, I hope you are doing well. Here at Hogwarts is going as steady as it could  
  
be. Our new defense teacher has been good at teaching us but seems to hate my guts now.  
  
Why, I have no idea. Regulus and Matt are right here with me and they're getting by just  
  
fine. My other three friends are coming along quite nicely and we are all hoping to face  
  
each other in more quidditch soon. You really haven't written a lot lately. Is it because  
  
you accepted being in you dad's...association? Matt, Regulus and I just want to hear it  
  
from you rather than by another source like the paper or if we eavesdrop. Just be honest_  
  
_with me. What you write is strictly going to be between us. After all, we promised you that  
  
we would keep it quiet if you joined or not. Anyway, we miss you and Slytherin house  
  
isn't the same without your order. Have a happy, merry Christmas.  
  
_____Tyler  
  
Tyler called for Pandy and rolled the parchment to his leg. "Pandy take this to Severus okay. And wait until you get his reply." Pandy hooted in a yes tone and then took off.  
  
"I hope you know what you're doing. Severus might not say if he joined at all whether he did or didn't. His pride is very strong."  
  
"Exactly what a slytherin's is but as is mine and I just don't want Severus to...do something he'll regret."  
  
"You really care for him don't you?" asked Matt.  
  
"Well he looked for what's best for me so I'm trying to return the favor."  
  
"That's good Tyler but Severus is a big boy now and can do what he wants and if he wants to serve the Dark Lord then he'll do that. Listen to me Tyler," Regulus started in a very serious tone like a big brother. "Many people want different things. Severus did tell you that he doesn't like muggleborns remember? Here's a term that my dorm mates taught me to know: "It's better to be riding the snake then be in its way." They just want to be able to be safe so they join You-Know-Who to not be on his hit list and feel safe."  
  
Regulus' words brought an end to the subject. Now Tyler only felt worse. Severus might be a Death Eater/servant to his murderous cousin. He just hoped that he could show how bad it is to eliminate a group like muggleborns because of their blood. He had, no has good first hand experience on being treated by your origin and not by who you are is like.  
  
...  
  
Later the train pulled into Platform 9 ¾ and Tyler wished his friends a Merry Christmas and took his trunk and ran as fast as he could on the platform looking for his dad. He could only think of getting to his dad before Jacke, Reggie or Brad spotted him. He made it to the other end of the platform and found a familiar figure holding a candlestick- his dad.  
  
"Dad. It's so great to see you." He hugged him as hard as he could. He needed to have his family comfort him during this time. "That's the portkey to go home right?" he said pointing to the candlestick.  
  
"Yes it is. Er...where's Pandy?"  
  
"Oh, he's off on delivery."  
  
"And Chaos?"  
  
"In my trunk, out of sight."  
  
"Alright, here's the portkey," he said whipping forward the candlestick for Tyler to grab it. "Now 3,2,1."  
  
Right before Tyler felt the rush of traveling by portkey, he caught glimpse of a blonde haired, brown haired and red haired trio of figures catch sight of him. But before they could move toward his direction, they blurred and soon Tyler found himself back in the familiar front hall of the Slytherin Mansion.  
  
...  
  
All Tyler could think about was what would happen when he got back on the train to Hogwarts throughout the whole holiday. He tried to be happy on Christmas morning but was again reminded of what was worrying him. He got cards from his fellow seekers telling him to meet at the back of the train or else. All three said that same thing so he guessed that they planned that together. Regulus sent him a richly made green vest made of dragon hide which he decided to put on and Matt sent him a wood tenderizing kit for his broomstick and wand. His parents gave him a practice snitch to use in training and grandparents gave him a new trunk that would have the inside magically expand to allow more room for his stuff claiming that he was starting to get messy in organizing.  
  
The last present he got was the return letter from Severus. Pandy showed up in the middle of dinner and stuck out his leg.  
  
"Whose letter is that son?"  
  
"Oh it's a return letter from my friend Severus," he said taking the letter and letting Pandy get a drink of eggnog from his glass.  
  
He didn't open the letter until he got into his room.  
  
_Tyler,  
  
I am happy to see that you are concerned for me but I can't tell you what I'm  
  
doing in case this letter is intercepted. But don't tell anyone that I decided to be accepted  
  
in my dad's club. He told me that I have to carry out his legacy and I decided that I must  
  
because of the feelings of which I told you last June. Anyhow I'm fine and I'm glad that  
  
you are having a great time playing quidditch against your friends. Just try to win for  
  
slytherin along the way. Also, I would watch my back on that dark arts professor of  
  
yours. Merry Christmas.  
  
Severus  
_  
That letter made it clear that Severus had joined the Death Eaters. Like Regulus said, it was Severus' decision and he can't tell him otherwise. Severus had to make his own decision and won't change it because Tyler had a bad feeling about it. He just had to accept the fact that Severus chose to be part of the Death Eaters. But he couldn't because he felt that Severus really did it because his father made him, which didn't weaken his resolve to show Severus that he didn't make the right choice.  
  
Tyler was so depressed that he actually refused to have a no wand parselduel with his dad or grandpa (because he couldn't use any magic from school now). When his father and grandpa asked he just shrugged and said that he wasn't in the mood now. So he just tried to watch as they had a parselduel against each other with wands trying to cheer him up but it had little effect. When his mother asked him what was wrong, it took a lot of will to not burst out crying in front of her. He just said that he was tired and went into the study on the other side of the mansion to cry on the floor where no one could see him.  
  
As soon as it seemed that he just got home, it became the night before he was to return to school and was already told to go to bed to be ready. He had Chaos around him for comfort and moved Pandy's perching stand close to his bed. He was nervous and didn't know what to do. Should he ignore the cards his friends sent and not meet them tomorrow or meet them like they asked. He was so overwhelmed by what was happening that he started to silently cry himself to sleep. The tears slid down his cheek and barely missed Chaos. Before he drifted off he finally decided that he couldn't risk the "Or Else" warning and chose to meet them at the last compartment on the train tomorrow.  
  
...  
  
**End of Chapter 9**  
  
Nightlit: Glad to have you back and I do hope you feel a lot better. I can't wait to see what surprises you have next in your story, which I hope gets updated.  
  
Author Notes:  
  
Wow, that was the longest chapter that I've ever written. Sorry to all if it was depressing, but Tyler is facing a big dilemma here. He might've lost his friends and Severus joined his cousin's ranks. How would you feel? To me, I think I made Tyler take it too well. The next chapter is in the making. It will have Tyler confronted by his fellow seekers and a lot gets discussed here. I haven't made a title for it yet but I'm working on a good one.  
  
On a personal note, it could be some time. I just graduated from high school and I'm in the celebrating mode. So I might not have the concentration that I normally do which could make the update time longer than I expected. Well hopefully you will feel it was worth the wait. REVIEW and it might make me work faster. 


	10. Seeking the Slytherin Seeker's Story

**Quest of the Seekers: Animals Within  
**  
Year Two at Hogwarts  
  
.  
  
Chapter 10: Seeking the Slytherin Seeker's Story  
  
Tyler was shaken awake by Yenze so he could get ready to go back to school.  
  
"Tyler sir, you need to get ready for school. Wake up."  
  
Tyler moved Chaos to one side of the bed and went to the bathroom. He put his hand to his face to find it became sticky thanks to all the crying he had done the previous night. After washing up, he went to have some breakfast while Yenze brought down his new trunk into the family room, that he had placed all his stuff from his old one.  
  
"Thank you Yenze."  
  
"Oh, it was nothing sir. Please have a day sir," he finished curtly with a bow.  
  
"I'll try Yenze," he finished and patted Yenze's head like a person would for his pet dog's head.  
  
Tyler finished his food within a matter of minutes and went into his room to change into some clothes. He finally decided on a long-sleeve green shirt with the dragon hide vest Regulus had sent him for Christmas. He then put his Hogwarts black robe with green collar and insides along with the slytherin crest open over him and thought he looked good. He also stashed his wand inside the sleeve holder he had Yenze stitch inside just incase he had to use it when he met up with the other seekers on the train. Chaos poked his tale at Tyler's leg to get his attention.  
  
"_Tyler, now that you're secret is out, can I be out in the open now_."  
  
"_No Chaos, you can't. My secret isn't out and even if it was I can't draw attention to myself. Besides, this is a new expandable trunk, remember? It'll be more comfortable and I put my clothes on the top to make it more comfy for you_."  
  
"_No, it'll still be without fresh air_."  
  
"_Enough, Chaos, my decision stands_."  
  
Then his father's voice called out to him from the family room.  
  
"Tyler, son, it's a quarter to eleven. You ready?"  
  
"Yes, coming dad."  
  
He gave a goodbye hug to his mother and waved goodbye to Yenze while his dad readied the portkey. Chaos slid to him in a sort of pleading expression on his snake face but Tyler dismissed his plea. He knew he wanted to not go into the trunk again even though this new one could expand and make him more comfortable. He pointed his finger to it as an authority figure would and spoke to his snake.  
  
"_Chaos, into the trunk now_."  
  
"_Please._.."  
  
"_Chaos_," he hissed narrowing his eyes at his pet snake."  
  
"_I know_," he hissed to his master before he turned to Pandy. "_You're lucky to ride out in the fresh air while I have to stay in a trunk_."  
  
Pandy hooted in mocking laughter while Tyler carried Chaos inside the trunk and closed it.  
  
"You all set son?" asked his father with the candlestick portkey ready to go.  
  
"Yes, I got everything I need."  
  
"Okay then."  
  
Moments later, Tyler found himself on the platform with his dad and belongings.  
  
"Okay Tyler, be good and train hard because you grandparents, mom and I are going to try and make it to your next game. Just owl us when you get the date and we'll try and make it."  
  
"Okay dad." He hugged his dad goodbye for comfort, knowing what he was about to go through out on the train.  
  
His dad disapparated off the platform, certainly heading for the ministry for work. Tyler moved himself along with his trunk and Pandy's cage towards the ending compartment in the train. Every step felt like it didn't matter because it seemed like forever until he finally reached it. He had his hand on the door for who knows how long until he opened it. Tyler was relieved when he found that they weren't there yet. But at that second, he hard a very familiar voice making him tense up.  
  
"Well are you going to go in or stare at it like you've never seen a compartment before?"  
  
Tyler turned around to find Jacke standing there with his trunk next to him. His eyes could've shot out of his sockets at how he looked at him. Jacke, after a minute of this cleared his throat, reminding Tyler to get into the compartment. Tyler moved into the compartment, without Jacke realizing, that he moved his right arm up and down to ready the wand at the tip of his hand to pull out quickly should he need to.  
  
Jacke put his trunk up besides Tyler's and sat across from him as usual.  
  
"We should wait a while to talk, until Reggie and Brad get here."  
  
"Yeah...okay."  
  
Normally, that would have told a person that there was no hard feelings but Tyler wasn't too sure to risk it. After all, like the slytherin saying goes: "If during a duel, your opponent calls time-out for a chat, don't put your wand away from defensive position."  
  
The silence and tension was so thick that you could slice it with a sword. Jacke and Tyler just sat and stared at each other absentminded. Tyler became nervous of his friend while Jacke seemed to be analyzing his friend, checking to see if it was really Tyler. Thankfully Reggie and Brad arrived after 5 minutes of the silence breaking it. They didn't break it with words; they broke it with the sounds of thumps as they were putting their things away. Brad sat beside Jacke while Reggie sat right beside Tyler, boxing him in. Then Reggie took his wand, pointed it at the door and shouted "_Silencio_" like Regulus had, making it soundproof to insure privacy. There was a big train whistle and the Hogwarts Express pulled out of the station heading for Hogwarts.  
  
"Okay," started Tyler breaking the silence because he couldn't take it anymore. "What did you guys want to talk to me so badly about?"  
  
"Well, how about why you've been avoiding us for the last 1 ½ weeks." 'Also, how you spoke parseltongue and ran from us' thought Brad to himself after speaking.  
  
"Well, I thought you guys would think I was a monster and not want me around so I tried to make it easy for you."  
  
"Well you thought wrong Tyler," said Reggie promptly.  
  
'Yeah, you say that now but just wait' thought Tyler as Reggie continued.  
  
"Although, we are a little mad that you hid this from us. So, what's your story Solemn?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
Jacke couldn't take it anymore. He'd grown tired of Tyler dodging the subject and snapped. "You know what we mean Tyler so stop playing stupid! Why didn't you tell us you're a parselmouth?!"  
  
Tyler hid his face away but not before catching his friends faces. Brad looked patient, like he was just going to wait until he could tell them but not let the matter be finished until he got an answer. Reggie gave him a look which he clearly read as "Well?". Jacke looked very impatient and was breathing hard and had his eyes looking directly at his before Tyler looked away. Tyler just huffed to let the stress out and went straight into it.  
  
'Might as well get it over with quickly or this will never end' he thought glumly. "I didn't tell you guys because I wanted to stay safe and keep my family safe too."  
  
"Safe? What do you mean safe?"  
  
"Reggie, you should know why already. My kin are thought to be the darkest and most horrible groups of wizards around. We have to stay secretive so we won't be prosecuted by the Wizengatmat."  
  
"Wizengatmat?" asked Brad.  
  
"The wizard high court Brad. My dad is on their council," answered Reggie.  
  
"So that means that you come from a line of parselmouths?" Jacke started to calm down seeing that Tyler was having a hard time answering their questions and decided to not make it harder. "You said about you family being safe, so you aren't the only one around?"  
  
"Er...no, I..." 'Dad's going to kill me,' he thought to himself letting out another stressful breath. "My dad and grandpa are parselmouths too."  
  
Tyler stopped himself to let his friends absorb what they learned and for him to absorb what he just did.  
  
'I'm telling our family secrets to them and I don't even know why I'm doing it. We're alone and there is a silence charm on the door. I should just modify their memories to forget I spoke parseltongue but I don't know why I'm not.'  
  
Reggie pulled him out of his thoughts back into the reality of the situation.  
  
"Well...Tyler, can I ask you if there is any connection between you and...Voldemort?"  
  
Tyler had immediately forgotten how to breathe.  
  
"I mean he is a parselmouth too. I wondered if there was any connection or not."  
  
'Oh no, do I tell them.' Before he could think more on the matter he started to cough from choking on his saliva. Apparently, his body demanded he remember how to breathe. After fixing himself up, he looked at his three friends and exhaled a "Yes".  
  
"There is one?" All three of them looked shock and felt their stomachs drop when they heard their friend say that. "I didn't really think there was, honestly, I just thought that there were probably other families of parselmouths around like the pureblooded families. When you said your kin, I thought there were like..."  
  
"It's okay Reggie, you don't have to apologize. And no, there are only four of us left." 'Here we go' he thought. 'Time to snap the wand.' "There's me, my father Simon, my grandpa Alan...and...my cousin Voldemort."  
  
Instantly all three of his friends spoke their thoughts out loud in the same tone of surprise and shock, at exactly the same time.  
  
"Voldemort's your cousin?!"  
  
"Unreal! Seriously?"  
  
"I can't believe it! You telling the truth?"  
  
At his nod all of them became silent for the, who knows what time in the hour. Tyler waited for accusations of being involved with his cousin's havoc to come but they didn't. What came from Jacke didn't sound accusing at all.  
  
"You're not proud of that, are you?" Jacke said to his friend in a soft and gentle voice. Tyler stared back at him at how well he seemed to take the information he just gave. "Your face went into shame and sadness so I figured you weren't okay with the fact you're related to him. We know you're nowhere near like him."  
  
Reggie and Brad looked at Jacke, both with impressed faces.  
  
"I had no idea you were so emotional,' started Reggie.  
  
"Yeah, you're usually hot-tempered and snappy," finished Brad.  
  
"Oh shut up!" Jacke said, clearly annoyed.  
  
"There's our Jacke."  
  
Brad and Reggie started to chuckle and not even Tyler could resist chuckling which he tried to hide as coughs succeeding very little.  
  
"But seriously," restarted Jacke. "Your cousin?"  
  
"Yeah...you see, my aunt died giving birth to him but she lived long enough to name him and send us an owl telling us about the birth."  
  
"Your aunt named her child Lord Voldemort?" Brad would've laughed if his question weren't so serious.  
  
"No,...We have no idea where he got that name from but it's not his real name. He's been lying about that the entire time. His real name is Tom Marvolo Riddle."  
  
The other seekers couldn't believe that Voldemort actually had a real name. It almost made him sound human and they always looked at Voldemort as a dark creature- a monster.  
  
"How do you handle being related to him?" Brad asked very sincerely. "Like Jacke said, we know that you're not like that."  
  
"Humph...it hasn't been easy. Every time we read about the trouble he makes in the papers, we...we...well we react in different ways. My dad gets mad at how one of our own is publicly causing trouble while proudly letting people know he's a parselmouth disgracing us. My grandpa tries to not think about too much. As for me, I just try to run away from that fact by trying to stay far off the subject of my cousin. I try to be everything he's not because what he does disgusts me."  
  
"Wow," commented Reggie in a low voice. "I don't think I could live with myself if my cousin was doing those things."  
  
"Yeah, you must really have a strong will," said Brad.  
  
Jacke then chuckled to himself, which made Reggie ask in a serious tone about what was funny. "Oh, it's just that I can imagine why Voldemort changed his name. I mean who would be scared with a name like Lord Tom Riddle." This caused a little chuckling from the other three when they put some thought on it and found it funny when they put it that way.  
  
"Thanks Jacke, you too guys for everything." He then concentrated on what he had said before countless times. "_I am a slytherin, you know_." 'Might as well tell them this truth too so they won't hate me for hiding TOO much from them.' "Guys...there is one thing that me and my cousin do have in common." His friends suddenly looked at him fearfully when he said this. "We lie about our real names."  
  
"What?" sputtered Reggie. "Tyler ISN'T your real name?"  
  
"No, no" he said quickly. "I'm Tyler alright but I need to give you my FULL name mates."  
  
"What is it?" they asked one after the other.  
  
"I'm...Tyler...Tyler...Tyler Solemn," he paused for around twenty seconds. His friends didn't get what he was talking about before since he just repeated his name before until he finished. "Tyler Solemn Slytherin."  
  
Tyler would've bet all the galleons in Gringotts that the eyes on his friends were about ready to pop out of their heads. He did just cast a pretty hard jinx at them. He also, still couldn't believe he actually told his friends that. He had told them his real name. Now how was that going to affect them?  
  
"Tyler, are you trying to tell us that...that...that you're..."  
  
"A descendant of Salazar Slytherin, yes...yes I am."  
  
"You're the heir of slytherin?!"  
  
Tyler couldn't look at his friends any more. He dropped his head down into his hands. He was definitely going to hear it now. What his dad told him as about to come true. The accusations of being an evil wizard.  
  
"Wow...that's kind of...wicked," Jacke said sounding shocked with excitement.  
  
"What?" Tyler said snapping his head up to find instead of hateful and scared glances, he found surprised and impressed looks. "You guys don't think I'm bad at all after hearing those things that my ancestor did?"  
  
"Heck, why would we Tyler," said Brad.  
  
Reggie shook his head like a joke had been made. "After all that stuff you said about being able to handle being related to Voldemort, why would we think bad about you being related to Salazar Slytherin."  
  
"The reason why we had to hide our last name because it would've been pretty obvious if we didn't of who we were. We made it a tradition to always give our children the middle name Solemn whether boy or girl and use that as our surname in public. I'm actually surprised myself of how well you're taking all of this."  
  
"Actually to be honest we kind of been practicing."  
  
"What are you talking about Brad?"  
  
"Well, during the holidays, the three of us wrote and decided that we should get ready for anything you told us."  
  
"Yeah, in fact, Reggie here even thought you might be related to Slytherin himself."  
  
"You did?"  
  
"Yeah, I did. I remember reading..."  
  
"Oh of course, books. Should've known from a Ravenclaw that that was the way."  
  
"Can I continue?" Reggie said causing Jacke and Brad to laugh at how Tyler was kidding around with him. "Thank you, I remember reading that the records of parselmouths was always low and one of the most famous ones was Salazar Slytherin so I thought it was possible that he might be a relative of yours."  
  
"Well, 100 points to you. I'm actually his great, great, great, great, great, great, grandson."  
  
Jacke whistled while Brad let out awe while Reggie let in some air.  
  
"Anyway, after we talked about what you might be and everything, we decided to get answers directly from you and not jump into conclusions so we owled you to meet us here."  
  
"Yeah, about that. Exactly what was the "Or else" supposed to mean. What would you guys have done if I didn't show?"  
  
"We would've gone through every compartment on this entire train until we found you. Then we would've dragged you kicking and screaming over here if we had to."  
  
Tyler couldn't believe how his friends were taking it. They didn't hate him or fear him at all. He couldn't believe that he had gotten such good friends and decided to let them know how much he appreciated it.  
  
"You know guys, you're the first ones in the history of the wizarding world that now knows this stuff. I didn't even tell any of my slytherin buddies any of this."  
  
Now this time they had the shocked expressions he had expected before.  
  
"What, we are?"  
  
"Yeah Brad. My father warned me to not let my secret get loose or I could've gotten in trouble like what happened before."  
  
"What kind of trouble before?"  
  
"Oh sorry, that's...kind of private. You do know that I still can't tell you everything, right? This is as far as I can tell you for my family's sake."  
  
"Well...I guess we have to respect that. Right Reggie, right Jacke?"  
  
They nodded in agreement.  
  
Maybe,...I'll tell you guys more, one day. You do know that I shouldn't have told you what I did to begin with. My dad told me that if anyone found out anything close about us that I should put a memory charm on them and modify their memory."  
  
"So, why didn't you do it to us then?"  
  
"I...honestly have no idea."  
  
"Can I ask one more question?"  
  
"It depends Reggie."  
  
"Well, I have always wondered this one thing. Where in the world did you get those books for the transformations?"  
  
"Oh...well, I can't fully answer that because I took them without my parent's or grandparent's permission and I can't tell you the location but I can tell you from my family's...library if you will."  
  
"Oh, because I was starting to think that you smuggled them or got them in a dark part of Knockturn Alley or something."  
  
"Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha, don't worry I didn't."  
  
"Tyler," said Jacke suddenly. "Don't worry, I just never got to thank you for saving me from that snake before. So thanks mate," he said in a meaningful voice.  
  
"No problem. Oh wait, there is one more thing that I want to show you."  
  
"What?" they all asked eagerly.  
  
"Actually it's more of someone and don't worry he's harmless okay."  
  
The other seekers nodded in understanding and Tyler went to open his trunk. He found Chaos there cozyingly asleep on his robes and clothes.  
  
"_Chaos, Chaos wake up_."  
  
"_What Tyler_," he hissed still a little asleep. "_Are we in your dorm now_?"  
  
"_No, I want you to meet my friends. The ones I told you about. Come on_." He extended his hand for Chaos to wrap on.  
  
...  
  
As Tyler was hissing to the trunk his friends became uncomfortable. Sure they now knew about Tyler being a parselmouth and became okay with it but it was still creepy to hear him actually speaking it.  
  
'I guess this is going to need to be getting used to,' thought Reggie.  
  
'Whoa, it sounds like he actually swallowed a snake' thought Brad.  
  
'By Merlin, I'm going to need to start getting used to him doing this. Sure I'm cool with Tyler being a parselmouth but I was told to be afraid of parseltongue so it's not going to be easy. I don't want to hurt Tyler's feelings so I better not say or do anything stupid.'  
  
When Tyler showed them Chaos they went back in their seats a little.  
  
"You don't have to be worried guys. This here is my faithful pet and friend Chaos." He then started hissing to the snake and started to point to each of them in turn.  
  
Jacke who forgot what he just promised himself said, "What did you just say Tyler."  
  
"Oh, I just said "Chaos, meet my fellow seekers. There's Reggie, Brad and Jacke." That's all."  
  
Chaos did a very noticeable bow to them and they were only able to wave hello back. Tyler completely understood.  
  
...  
  
That night when Tyler went to bed he couldn't help but smile to sleep. Chaos had decided to sleep in his 'secret area' as he called it, in the network of tunnels in the walls and floors of Hogwarts that he had found when he went into a mouse hole last year. It felt like a heavy load had been loaded from his conscience. He was even laughing to himself about how foolish he was acting during the break worrying about nothing. He wasn't living a total lie from his friends now. Then he thought about what might his family do if they found out that he told them a considerable amount of information. He decided that telling dad or even his trusty grandpa were out of the question because then they would tell him to modify their memories or do it themselves. Not to mention that he would be punished for life!  
  
'Well, whatever my parents don't know can't hurt them. Besides I think I can trust Jacke, Brad and Reggie with this information.'  
  
He then went into a calming sleep. Little did he know that his friends were up in the same way. Looking up from their beds but not sleeping. They were all reflecting on the new revelations about the slytherin seeker that they learned. All thinking of how Tyler trusted them all with the information he gave. It was all to take in at once even if he only revealed the softer facts. They began to wonder what the bigger facts were if what he told them was the tip of the wand. They each decided not to worry about that now and sleep on it. They, after all, had to get to sleep because classes resumed the following day.  
  
.  
  
End of Chapter 10  
  
Nightlit: Well, I'm glad you agree with how they all found out about Tyler's secret. I hope you liked how he told his friends. And what is up with your story already. It's almost been a month. I'm dying to know what's going to happen.  
  
Author Notes:  
  
Well, there we go. The slytherin seeker's story is now public knowledge in the seeker's circle. How will this change their friendship? Who knows? Naturally me. Ha. Ha. Ha. The next chapter is in construction. "Dueling In & Out of School" There will be a dueling scene at school and the seekers will have a wizard duel of their own that unlike anything that has been done before in wizard history. Oh and Happy Fourth of July everyone.  
  
REVIEW, Flames are allowed since they tell me what I'm doing around so don't be bashful. 


	11. The Dueling Tournament

**Quest of the Seekers: Animals Within**  
  
Year Two at Hogwarts  
  
.  
  
Chapter 11: The Dueling Tournament  
  
Tyler became very cheerful throughout the following week. It had felt good to at least get his friends to know his secret. It was as if a heavy load had been taken off his shoulders. His slytherin pals noticed this and he merely shrugged it off by saying he had a good holiday. Chaos was even starting to notice the changes although he did know why Tyler was so happy.  
  
It didn't last long though. Professor Arnold's attitude towards Tyler didn't lighten at during the break. He was as obnoxious towards Tyler just the same. Tyler still couldn't find out why Arnold was hostile towards only him. He was the only student that he didn't like. Everybody else was on great terms with him. Tyler started to dread going to Defense classes and face Arnold. Everybody else absolutely loved his lessons especially the Gryffindors, Jacke included. He tried to not act any different around Professor Arnold, just to show that he wasn't affected by him but he still shook with anger around him. However, as much as he didn't like Professor Arnold, he had to admit one thing: he was a great teacher. Everyone, even Tyler, was especially excited when Professor Arnold announced that the second years were going to be put in a dueling test.  
  
"This dueling test will be held on Sunday, starting at 11 am," he announced to the class, which were making excited noises. "All the students will be placed in a tournament of sorts. However, winning isn't important, because I will test the form of your dueling to see if it is correct. You could be the overall winner and fail my test. You will be judged by how you start, aim, defend, and the way you try to end the duels. Also, I hope that personal issues with other students in this tournament will not cause anyone the need to be rushed to the hospital wing."  
  
"Professor," started Zack Moore. "What does the winner get?"  
  
"Well winning isn't important but the winner of the 2nd year tournament gets an instant 50 points for his/her house."  
  
Matt leaned closer to Tyler so Arnold couldn't hear. "Perfect, an easy 50 points could really help with the house cup."  
  
"Now the rules of the tournament are quite simple," restarted Professor Arnold. "You could win the duel if your opponent is knocked out, gives up, or if you successfully separate him from his wand in a matter that makes him/her unable to continue the duel. I wish you all the best of luck on your dueling exam."  
  
...  
  
The four seekers gathered in the library that afternoon doing homework and talking about the tournament coming up.  
  
"Tyler mate, Arnold really started something up with the second years. Everywhere I go there is only talk of the tournament. I think I have a good chance of winning. I mean, I do know my charms," Jacke said with a hint of pride and praise.  
  
"Jacke, you are forgetting about somebody who knows some pretty good hexes and curses. My family does have good knowledge on the dark arts. Pity I have to hold back on the real good ones."  
  
Reggie and Brad's heads looked at him in surprise until Brad spoke. "I thought you and your family weren't bad wizards."  
  
"Oh we aren't," he said quickly. "We just know a good deal of dark stuff but we aren't evil dark wizards. We can control ourselves because we were trained to as we grow. You see, before I came to Hogwarts, my dad showed me how to not let the dark arts take control of me. The deep Dark Arts tend to overwhelm the ones who learn them so much that it gets addicting. Think of it like standing up to a hard wind. You learn to walk against it than letting the wind carry you off."  
  
"Wait," said Reggie. "If you parselmouths can use dark arts that way than why is your cousin insane?"  
  
Ever since Tyler told them his secret, they sometimes talked of his people like this. However, Tyler only told them little facts and not of any of the deep things about him or his family.  
  
"Just because you're a parselmouth, it doesn't automatically mean you could have control. Ordinary wizards can have the same control that I'm talking about. Voldemort wasn't trained to control himself like I was," he said finishing up the subject. "Anyway, whoever comes up against me had an unlucky draw because they'll lose."  
  
"Unless you lose to them," Jacke muttered under his breath, which they all heard. Brad and Reggie went into laughter while Tyler hissed at them. This gave them a loud "Shh!" from Madam Pince, the librarian.  
  
"Oh guys, I need to remind you guys that during the tournament we can't use our animagus forms to help us out, okay?" said Reggie with a good tone of seriousness.  
  
"Promise."  
  
"Don't worry."  
  
"...Alright," said Brad obviously a little confused.  
  
...  
  
After a long wait, it finally became Sunday. Professor Arnold set up the arrangements with Professor Dumbledore to use the Great Hall. In fact, he was there to see the tournament himself. All the tables were moved to the side and in their place was a dueling platform. Every second year student was there and talking amongst each other, waiting for the event to start. Professor Arnold had told the students that only the second years would be present at this and no other students would be present here so Regulus had to stay behind.  
  
"Okay!" Arnold started by clapping his hands to get everyone's attention. "Could you all gather round the platform as we could start."  
  
Everyone separated to the four corners of the stage by house including the seekers, which was natural to do in Tyler's mind. Professor Dumbledore stood from his chair to say a few words.  
  
"I'm sure you all will do your best and by the book. I hope you will all pass your test with flying colors. Have fun and best to you all!"  
  
After Dumbledore finished his speech, Arnold started talking again. "All right, I have randomly put you in dueling pairs for this tournament. Just to note, I have put boys against boys and girls against girls for the first rounds so don't worry about any awkwardness until later." There were a few sighs of relief from some girls and even a few of the guys as well. "When they are done, then the matches would be mixed. First up will be...Brad Carter and Wade Kelso," he read from a clipboard.  
  
Brad stepped up followed by a 2nd year Ravenclaw and went onto the platform facing each other. They presented their wands, then bowed and walked in the opposite direction 5 paces. Then they went into dueling stances. Brad had his wand hand twisted a little and extended out toward Kelso with his other arm a little out to his left. Kelso had a similar stance except his other hand was at his side.  
  
"Alright," began Arnold, "Get ready on my count. 1,2,3!"  
  
Brad immediately fired the first hex he could think of. "_Expelliarmus_!"  
  
However, Kelso had also said the same spell and it resulted in both of them flying backwards while their wands left their hands, falling to the floor. They both hurriedly got to their feet to run to their wands. Kelso got to his first and shouted, "_Averte Stature_!" the Force Hex.  
  
Brad would have been hit had it not been for luck that he tripped on his own robe and fell on the floor, rolling over to his wand and avoiding Kelso's hex. Once he got a grip on his wand, Brad aimed and shouted, "_Gaiaranshi_!" The spell hit Kelso on the feet but there was no difference at all. Kelso waved his head in disbelief and started to motion forward. However, he stayed where he was. He looked like he was just moving his upper body forward but wasn't moving his feet. When Tyler looked at Kelso's feet more carefully, he realized what Brad had done.  
  
Kelso's shoes were turned to rock hard stone! Brad had transfigured his shoes to stone. Tyler had to hand it to Brad's talent at Transfiguration. He was a true pro at it though he could bet Kelso wasn't idolizing Brad's Transfiguration talent right now. He couldn't move his feet at all. Brad slowly stood up, raised his wand and said, "_Expelliarmus_!" which disarmed Kelso of his wand.  
  
"The winner is Brad Carter!" This was followed by deep applause by the Hufflepuffs and the other seekers. After Brad rejoined his house and Arnold reversed the spell to Kelso's shoes, he went back to his clipboard to announce the next pair. "Next will be...Reginald Falkner and Max Connors. Up here please to start the next duel."  
  
Reggie and a Hufflepuff that Tyler had seen in a few classes but never knew the name of went into dueling position. Reggie's position was almost an exact replica of Brad except that his hand was completely straight. Arnold began the countdown. "1,2,3!"  
  
Reggie immediately shouted "_Flipendo_!" Connors was hit completely off guard when he was in the middle of saying the disarming spell. Reggie pointed his wand at Connors and yelled "_Wingardium Leviosa_!" Connors was levitated off his feet in surprise. However, it was only up by three feet. Connors sent his own flipper hex at Reggie making him flip backwards releasing him. Connors sent some orange sparks at Reggie making him jump back in surprise while Connors started to raise him wand, eyes wide at Reggie. Reggie then stuck his wand out and yelled "_Lumos_!"  
  
Connors' eyes closed tightly as he put his hand to rub his eyes. Reggie then fired a disarming charm at his right hand knocking the wand in the air which Reggie caught ending the duel.  
  
"Congratulations to Reginald Falkner! You move on to the next round." Applause greeted Reggie while Arnold went back to his clipboard again. "Ok next up is Sean Norman against Tyler Solemn."  
  
Tyler stepped up on the platform to face his opponent. He remembered him as one of the Gryffindors that gave him a hard time last year when he and the other seekers became elementals. He would've graciously thanked Arnold for the pairing but was afraid to be alone with him. Tyler walked back five paces and raised his wand hand above his head and had his left hand out in a fist. Severus had taught him and Matt a few dueling positions last year before the end of the term. This was one of his favorite positions that Severus taught him. Arnold soon began the count.  
  
"Ready! 1,2,3!"  
  
Tyler's hex was the first one to be said. "_Furnaculus_!" Norman dodged the spell and sent a Force hex at him. So far, everyone who went up against this hex had been connected with it but not Tyler. He had just managed to dodge it and it zipped by his left side.  
  
'It was probably a good thing that Arnold made Matt hit me with that hex all those times when he taught it to us,' thought Tyler in amusement.  
  
"_Furnaculus_!" Tyler yelled again and this time it hit. Norman's face started to get boils and made him irritated. He quickly brandished his wand at Tyler, which made him subconsciously move to dodge whatever spell he was about to say. Tyler recognized it as the Leg-Locker Curse and became glad he did decide to move. He decided to cast another good jinx of his. "_Locomotor Mortis_!" His Jelly-Legs Jinx hit it's mark and Norman started to move uncontrollably and unable to aim properly to retaliate. Tyler decided that he should end it so he fired a disarming spell winning the match.  
  
"Tyler Solemn is your winner," Arnold said without the cheerful sound he had when he announced his friends' victories but it seemed like he was the only one who caught it. His fellow seekers applauded him politely but he knew it was because they were next to their dorm mates and couldn't give a slytherin a hearty cheer but he knew how they really felt. Matt gave him a one armed hug and got pats on the back from his other fellow slytherins.  
  
"Matthew Carroway, you're paired with Jeremy Lynne." Tyler patted his back as Matt went up to face his Ravenclaw opponent. When he faced off against him, Tyler saw that Matt already started to mumble an incantation after two. When Arnold said three, Matt launched a Force Hex, which hit Lynne before he could react. Matt then walked and took his wand making himself the winner in the quickest match so far.  
  
Professor Arnold then had a few of the second year girls duel and Tyler with Matt just stood back to enjoy the show. When it became time for the 15th match, Jacke's name was finally called. "Jacke Walker, you'll be up against Zack Moore." Tyler could feel the tension on this little fight. Last year, Zack and Jacke almost did get into a fight but now they had a chance to and didn't have to worry about teachers.  
  
Tyler noticed that Jacke's dueling stage was an almost opposite of his own. While he had his left hand extended and his wand hand over his head, Jacke had it vice versa. He was curious of how Jacke would duel against Moore.  
  
"Tyler," Matt said turning to him. "I guess I can safely say that you're rooting for Walker, huh?"  
  
"Yes, I am and I don't want to hear anything from you about it." This seemed to quiet Matt but he did let out an irritated breath at Tyler's lack of house loyalty.  
  
"Begin on my count, 1,2,3!"  
  
Moore cast a flipper hex hoping to get a fast advantage but Jacke countered with the stronger force hex. His spell shattered through Moore's and hit him. But it looked like it was weakened because Moore got up quicker then anyone else who had been hit with it.  
  
"_Furnuculus_!" Moore tried using one of the curses that he had used but it looked like Jacke was in control. He dodged it quite easily. Tyler couldn't understand how Jacke was so fast.  
  
'I guess he had been training for this kind of situation,' he thought.  
  
"_Rictusempra_!" Jacke's curse hit Moore and he went into a fit of hearty giggles. Jacke took the opportunity and yelled "_Flippendo_!" Moore was knocked off his feet and his wand went on the floor next to him. The flipper hex seemed to have canceled the laughing charm because now Moore wasn't giggling anymore. He went to reach his wand but Jacke yelled "_Wingardium Leviosa_!" Moore's wand flew out of his reach and so Jacke became the winner.  
  
Tyler clapped at his friend's victory giving him looks from Matt and from Nott. Jacke smiled in his direction and left the stage so the 16th and last duel could play out.  
  
After it was over, Arnold got everyone's attention with wand sparks. "Good, now, the 16 people who are advancing to the next rounds are as follows. From Gryffindor: Jacke Walker, Jason Kornbeck, Francine Edwards, Nicole Guillphern, and Jennifer Gardner. From Ravenclaw: Reginald Falkner, Steve Robbins, Claire Zephyr, and Maggie Barlaine. From Slytherin: Matthew Carroway, Tyler Solemn, and Morgan Stellers. And from Hufflepuff: Brad Carter, Hawkster Jones, Martha Patrickson, and Catherine Miller. We'll commence the tournament in precisely two hours so lunch can be given. Those who lost their duels are more than welcomed to watch the rest of the tournament. Okay, off you trot."  
  
Tyler said goodbye to Matt while he went to the cave so he could get together with the other seekers. He levitated the rock and waited for them but he didn't have to wait long.  
  
"Great duel Jacke mate! You sure showed Moore a thing or two," said Tyler giving Jacke a pat on the back as he said this.  
  
"Well I have been meaning to hex that obnoxious, slimy slytherin; No offense to you Tyler," he added quickly remembering Tyler's real last name.  
  
"None taken," he smirked. "I don't know about you guys but I'm still looking to have another duel."  
  
"Relax," said Reggie. "The next rounds are in just two hours."  
  
"That's too long," said Jacke groaning. "Besides, it wasn't too much fun because we couldn't use our other powers to help us because you said we couldn't."  
  
"Reggie, about that, why couldn't we use our animagus forms?" asked Brad very curiously. "I mean, turning into animals isn't considered a dark art, right?"  
  
"No Brad it isn't but we are illegal animagi. Animagi have to be registered and we aren't so we could get in trouble if that's found out. Besides, if we do register, it would make questions of how four 12 year olds became animagi in the first place." He gave a look at Tyler as he said this making Brad understand immediately.  
  
Tyler still felt like dueling and started to agree with Jacke's feelings and couldn't wait for the 2-hour limit to be up. Then he felt some thing light up in his head like someone lit up their wand in his head.  
  
"Hey, how about a duel right now. No holding back our powers. Whose up for it?"  
  
Reggie gave him a stern look, "No thank you."  
  
"I can wait for two hours," said Brad following Reggie's lead.  
  
Jacke, however, pulled out his wand and faced Tyler. "I'm ready. Let's have that duel mate."  
  
Reggie's head snapped so fast Tyler almost thought that his head had apparated to its new position. "Jacke...Tyler, you guys want to duel now? Aren't you afraid you'll wear yourselves out for the tournament?"  
  
"Well, I would like to see this. It could be worthwhile to see how our dueling could change because of our transformations. Aren't you interested in this Reggie?" Brad asked with a strong sense of question in his voice.  
  
One weakness that was obvious to them about the Ravenclaw seeker was that when it came to learning about the deep unknown he would strive to know what it was; like a true Ravenclaw.  
  
"Well...it would be a once in a lifetime experience," he said hesitantly. "Ok, have your duel guys."  
  
Jacke and Tyler went to the center of the cave, near the little pond, and drew their wands. Reggie became their commentator while Brad stood next to him at a fair distance to watch. "Okay, bow." Jacke and Tyler bowed at each other with confident smiles. "Back five paces." Tyler and Jacke turned their backs on each other and walked back completely in sync to make it more dramatic. Brad rolled his eyes at that while Reggie shook his head in amusement before continuing. "Alright, 1,2,3!"  
  
Jacke struck first, ready with a curse "_Averte Stature_!"  
  
Tyler dodged this like he did when he faced Norman and then shouted "_Flipendo_!"  
  
His faster hex hit Jacke straight on his right arm making him roll to the ground. Tyler had his wand raised to say another incantation but Jacke had his hand out and let out a jet of fire pushing Tyler back.  
  
Tyler was shocked at how fast Jacke used his element considering he was just knocked down but quickly recovered. "_Expelliarmus_!" He sucked his teeth in irritation when Jacke went behind a tall rock for cover. Jacke slid to the other side of the rock and yelled "_Rictusempra_!" Tyler wasn't going to fall for that one and yelled "_Protego_!" His shield charm made the jinx bounce off his shield and hit the rock Jacke was hiding behind.  
  
Tyler followed Jacke's example and went behind a tall rock quite a distance away. He fired another disarming spell but then quickly changed into a snake and started to slither towards Jacke's area. He noticed that Reggie and Brad's eyes were on him and knew that they knew his plan. Jacke still was throwing spells at the rock thinking that Tyler was still there.  
  
'Now to move behind him' thought Tyler as he slithered. He moved behind Jacke still throwing curses. Then he transformed back to a human.  
  
Jacke was trying to draw Tyler out with a few good force hexes but no reaction. 'Why isn't he fighting back?' Jacke was completely confused on why no return hex was fired at him. He had started to carefully go over to that rock when he heard a shout.  
  
"_Averte Stature_!" shouted Tyler but Jacke dodged like Tyler had planned he would. Tyler had his left hand already out and had enough time to shoot out his lightning powers in an orb, which connected. Jacke felt like he had been hit with a troll's club but wouldn't give in. He pointed his wand at Tyler while being pushed by his lightning power and yelled in a coughy, squeaky voice, "_Pungresperera_!"  
  
Tyler got connected and couldn't see or breathe. Jacke had him with a Pumpkinhead Hex. The lightning had faded out by now and Jacke started to run toward Tyler ignoring the pain in his stomach. He yanked Tyler's wand out of his struggling hand just as the pumpkin on his head shattered. Jacke pointed both wands at Tyler who grudgingly put his hands up in defeat.  
  
Reggie and Brad were overwhelmed at the Gryffindor and Slytherin seekers' performance. It really was a once in a lifetime duel for the young wizards.  
  
"Tyler, what was that shield you conjured to reflect my jinx before?" asked Jacke.  
  
"Oh that was the shield charm. It sends back weaker spells and curses. My dad showed it to me to help defend myself. You wouldn't know it because it's a fourth year spell."  
  
"A charm like that and I don't know it. Me, the charms expert! You've got to show that to us sometime."  
  
"Don't worry, I will," he guaranteed with a hint of laughter.  
  
Reggie clapped his hands at them making Jacke and Tyler bow in elegance. Brad rolled his eyes and spoke. "Hey guys, let's head back to the great hall and have a good lunch. I believe we all deserve it especially you guys unless you don't feel you can handle it," he said to Jacke noticing he was still holding his stomach.  
  
"Don't worry, I think I can."  
  
Then they left the cave heading for the castle.  
  
...  
  
**End of Chapter 11**  
  
...  
  
Nightlit: I'm glad that you finally updated your story Trials of the Four. I also hope that you liked this action packed chapter.  
  
Author Notes:  
  
Well, there we go. Sorry I haven't updated in a long time. This chapter was hard to write. The next chapter is in the making. Chapter 12: Dueling Tournament Finals will be posted soon. The tournament of the second years continues as all of the seekers battle for becoming the winner and winning the house points.  
  
Also, I have started using a lot of magic phrases to make the story more intoned with wizard life. Do you like the phrases like "he felt like a hex hit him" or "as mad as a redcap." I also seem to notice that my chapters are starting to get bigger. It's probably because now I'm getting into the real actional scenes now that I did a lot of the building up already with the first few chapters.  
  
Review and tell me what you think. 


	12. Dueling Tournament Finals

**Quest of the Seekers: Animals Within**

Year Two at Hogwarts

Chapter 12: Dueling Tournament Finals

After enjoying a good lunch at the Great Hall, which had been returned to normal, the seekers went to their common rooms to lounge with their house members. Tyler just sat on the usual couch with Matt and together they were telling Regulus all about their duels. According to Regulus, the older years weren't having the dueling tests that the second years were having which seemed very strange to them.

'Why would Professor Arnold only have the second years graded this way? Why did he organize a tournament for them only?'

Regulus tried to keep the jealousy in his voice to a minimum. Matt and Tyler were able to tell this and cheered him up by wishing that he could see them and give them his moral support, which cheered him up but only by a little.

When the last hour was up, Tyler and Matt headed back to the Great Hall for their matches. When all 16 people arrived, Tyler noticed that all the other second years, did in fact arrive to see the rest of the competition. Professor Dumbledore was back along with Professor McGonagall, Flitwick, Sprout and Reckler. The heads of the houses all had seats next to the headmaster facing the stage. Tyler also noticed that next to Dumbledore there was a golden trophy on it with the top piece being a person extending his wand.

Professor Arnold went on the stage with the tournament clipboard and spoke, facing the finalists.

"All right, now I have taken the remaining 16 students and put them in pairings that were 100 random. This time boys and girls may be put up against another. I'm sure you will be able to handle this since you all passed the first rounds. Okay," he coughed. "Would Reginald Falkner and Nicole Guillphern please come up."

Reggie dueled Guillphern with absolute ease. She seemed to try to just send curses without caring about her defense, which made her vulnerable to Reggie's disarming spell. The wand flew out of Guillphern's hand and Reggie caught it quickly sealing his spot as the winner.

The other seekers' duels went by with ease. Jacke had faced and beaten Steve Robbins, Brad dominated Catherine Miller and Tyler triumphed over Martha Patrickson. Sadly, for Tyler anyway, Matt lost his duel. The hufflepuff Hawkster Jones had beaten him with a good Flipper Hex to the feet. Jones also jinxed his hair to grow weeds and took his wand while Matt reacted to having a garden for hair. Tyler gave him a friendly pat on the back and tried to tell him how good he dueled but it had little effect calming Matt down.

After the last duel, Arnold started the next phase of the tournament.

"Alright, the quarter finals will begin in five minutes. The following eight finalists are Jacke Walker, Brad Carter, Tyler Solemn, Reginald Falkner, Hawkster Jones, Morgan Stellers, Jason Kornbeck, and Claire Zephyr. You eight all stretch out and ready yourselves for the quarterfinals. Those of you that had lost these rounds, are like the others, allowed to watch the rest of the tournament. However, I ask you all to not disturb any of the finalists."

Tyler went up against a wall and stretched his arms out and went through a list of curses in his mind. Then he went into heavy thinking on his situation.

'I did good so far but now I have to be careful. These finalists got by two rounds so I can't think of them lightly. I might even get one of my friends in the next round and I know they are good. I wouldn't mind facing Jacke next and paying him back for that defeat back in the cave though. Nevertheless, I better analyze the other finalists because even if I win my next match I better get familiar with the others so I won't be off-guard.'

Brad swung his arms back and forth, trying to loosen up. He tried to get himself focused but his mind kept drifting off to random things.

'Why can't I focus on the tournament? Maybe I'm trying too hard and should relax. I did get this far and I was calm. I shouldn't worry myself to the ground. But...this would be something that could really make my parents proud and get me a few more friends in my own house...like Tyler has. The seekers are important to me but I need my friends in my house too.'

Reggie was waving his wand and saying spells inaudibly getting ready for the quarterfinals.

'Tyler has used some pretty good curses. He was right, he does have a talent with curses and hexes. I should try some of them for these matches. Tyler still gets me a little uncomfortable with what he is but I've got to stop doubting him. He trusted me with what he told me and I don't want to disrespect that trust. I better focus on the tournament instead. These new opponents are going to be tough especially if they won their first duels. I'm going to have to be careful. After all, the ravenclaw saying is "Think through every step and flick."'

Jacke stretched his legs out and was also moving his neck around.

'I've come this far and I'm going for the win. Maybe I should use my more powerful charms for these rounds.' He then cast a look at Tyler. 'Tyler might be my next opponent and if he is then I've gotta be careful. He may not be an evil wizard...or at least I don't think he is anyway' he thought with a little fear and confusion. 'But he knows good hexes. Also...It would be great to make my victories against him 2 in a row,' he thought satisfyingly.

The five minutes were soon up and Arnold called for silence. He instructed the finalists to come to one side of the room and they did, with the seekers going next to each other as usual. Tyler saw Matt give him a thumbs up which he returned with an assuring nod.

The first match of the quarterfinals will now begin. Jacke Walker and Morgan Stellers please come forward."

Jacke stepped up to the stage, with the dark, cherry red haired slytherin girl that Tyler had started to take notice as of late. Morgan Stellers had been doing great in this tournament. She wasn't a person that you could depend on when it came to missing a target. She had great aiming skills, so great in fact, that Tyler had only seen her miss twice in the entire tournament. He also thought she seemed pretty confident and couldn't help noticing she seemed a little on the cute side. He immediately shook his head away at the thought as quickly as it came. He chanced a look at Jacke to start paying more attention to his moves and he noticed his mouth twitching, like he was a little nervous or for another reason. Now that he thought of it, red colors appeared on his face, which could've been nervousness or...blush?

When the match was underway, Tyler saw Jacke had his hands full against Stellers. Her aim really was good and Jacke was just barely able to dodge them. He still didn't know how Jacke had gotten that maneuverable. He might of lost if he didn't make a puff of smoke come out of his wand and throw it towards Stellers' face. While she used her hands for blowing the smoke away, Jacke disarmed her.

"Jacke Walker, congratulations, you go to the semi-finals! Next, we will have Brad Carter against Hawkster Jones."

Hawkster Jones, on Tyler's observation, had straight, black hair and eyes as brown as logs. As a dorm mate of Brad's they had an air of familiarity around them. Their match was intense like Jacke and Stellers' was but not at the same level. Jones sent a few jinxes, which Tyler thought, were a little playful for his taste but were effective,...in a way. One jinx he used made ringing sounds come out of Brad's ears, which did make it harder to hear Jones' spells. Brad did counter by transfiguring the hood of Jones' robes into an incomplete cutting board. You wouldn't think that was a smart thing to do at first but when Brad fired a disarming spell and Jones went off to dodge it, the board slammed his head. He seemed to be seeing lights when Brad disarmed him successfully.

"There you all have it. Brad Carter has won and earned his place in the semi-finals. Now on to the third match of the quarterfinal round. Will Jason Kornbeck and Tyler Solemn come up please."

Tyler came to the stage to face his opponent. Jason Kornbeck seemed like a solid guy. He seemed like the type of person that you couldn't intimidate. Kornbeck spared a glance toward where Jacke and Brad were standing. Tyler understood what that symbolized. He was set to be there with them and sensed the same familiarity that Brad and Jones had made with Jacke. 'Of course, they are dorm mates just like Brad and Jones.'

When the call of three came to start the duel, Tyler was in his element. (AN: Not lightning) He first tried to send a good Jelly Legs Jinx, which Kornbeck dodged. Tyler then moved to avoid a Laughing Curse and then fired his Furnaculus Hex. Kornbeck ducked to avoid that hex and charged at Tyler shouting a disarming spell while doing running.

'Might as well put some of my advanced spells at work,' Tyler thought knowing what to do. He set up his Shield Charm which blocked the disarming spell and sent it right back at Kornbeck. He got hit with it and went flying losing his wand. Apparently, he didn't think Tyler would be able to dodge it since he seemed to count on him being scared by his charge.

"Tyler Solemn has won." Again Arnold lulled his voice as he announced Tyler's victory. "The last duel will commence immediately. Reginald Falkner, Clare Zephyr, come to the ring."

Reggie and the ravenclaw girl Clare Zephyr stepped up to the platform. The Zephyr girl had that cheery attitude in the air around her. Tyler knew of her from classes and noticed how she dueled throughout the tournament. Her defense was good but her offense was her weakness. She had been lucky in her duels to hit the opponent and claim her victories. He knew that Reggie would discover that and use it to his advantage.

Like he predicted, he did. Reggie saw that she was good at avoiding enemy spells but couldn't really connect with any herself correctly. Reggie seemed to be waiting for something. He later found out when he brightly lit his wand and pointed it toward Zephyr's eyes. Her gaze on his moves had become intense and he waited until her eyes were completely on him before he temporarily blinded her. He took her wand from her hands that were covering her eyes.

"Reginald Falkner is the winner." Clapping erupted at the mark of the end of the quarter finals. "We have gone from 32 contestants to 4 remaining semifinalists. Jacke Walker of Gryffindor," there was clapping for Jacke as he stepped up to the platform. "Brad Carter of Hufflepuff," clapping could be heard from mostly the Hufflepuffs at their house's semifinalist. "Reginald Falkner of Ravenclaw," the ravenclaws gave their support. "And finally Tyler Solemn in Slytherin," the slytherins clapped hard at Tyler's appearance but it was only support from them. The other second years didn't give any support like they had done for his friends, which didn't bother him in the slightest.

They all climbed down and went to a far off point in the hall next to the other teachers, away from the crowd while Arnold got everyone's attention. "Now the semi-finals will begin in a short ten minutes. No one bother the finalists as I'm sure they will need to get themselves ready."

Professor Arnold then went over to the heads and Dumbledore and went into talking. The seekers stayed at their cut off point and went into conversation.

"Can you believe it?" asked Jacke. "Us, the seekers, are the finalists for the whole tournament."

"I can't believe we all got here and are together. It's kind of great to know that it's going to be a seeker to be the 2nd year champion."

"Couldn't agree more Brad," said Tyler breaking into a smile. "However, even though it's us in this let's all agree to not go easy on each other. I'm going to hit however I face with what I can."

"Should've expected that from you Tyler." Reggie was dismissing it with a laughing smile that he rarely gave out. "Just don't get angry if you lose out there."

"Oh I don't plan to lose," he said simply.

"Same here," Jacke said in the same tone.

"Don't look at me as one whose losing," said Brad.

"Really, because I think that the winner is the one that's speaking," Reggie said with a good hint of pride in his voice. "My brains will get me the victory spot."

'We'll see about that,' thought the other three seekers.

"Let's all make a promise right here, right now."

"What Brad," asked Reggie in a concerned tone.

"Let's promise to give it our all out there. I think I speak for everyone...especially you two," he jestered to Jacke and Tyler who smiled in laughter, "that I want to face you guys at your best. Promise?"

"Promise," recited all four of the seekers.

"Alright," re-began Arnold. "Let's begin the semifinals!" Cheers from the other second years were so loud that the seekers were sure the whole castle was able to hear. So far, the older students and the first years tried to get views of the tournament by the windows. They were able to detect brooms around the windows and shines from metal, which they concluded, might be telescopes from Astronomy.

"Jacke Walker will face Brad Carter in the first match of the semi-finals. Please come up please." Tyler and Reggie gave them hearty back slaps as Jacke and Brad went to duel. Tyler and Reggie looked at each other competitively. Now it was no mystery who they would face off against. Jacke and Brad also looked at Tyler and Reggie with the same flare.

Tyler would've started to take in what they did to find any weaknesses but he decided not to. 'A duel against them, I'll keep myself a little surprised or it wouldn't be as fun if I had studied their moves.'

Reggie, however, went into observing mode. He wanted to analyze their moves because he would face one of them when he won against Tyler. 'I've gotten this far by playing it smart and I will keep doing that to win.'

Jacke looked at Reggie and Tyler and then deduced the inevitable. 'So, if I beat Brad then I'm facing off against the winner in their duel.'

Brad was also looking at the ravenclaw and slytherin seekers at the same way that his fellow gryffindor seeker was. 'The winner of their duel will face the winner of this one. Well, I can't think of that now. I have to put my energy in beating Jacke. His charms are very good and only a fool would take lightly of him. I better put my transfiguration skills to work in this duel if I hope to beat him and go to the finals.'

"Now," spoke Arnold. "Professor Dumbledore would like to have word before we begin. Please headmaster."

"Thank you Kenrick," Dumbledore said bowing his head to Professor Arnold. "You four had battled hard and I've been impressed with your progress. Your house heads also share my feelings." Their heads of house nodded in deep agreement. "May you fight honorably and fairly. We wish you all the best of luck."

When Dumbledore finished, Arnold started again. "Ready, on my count. 1,2,3!"

Jacke took a step back and shouted "_Rictusempra_!"

Brad immediately dodged it with ease as he shouted "_Gaiaranshi_!"

"Oh no you don't," Jacke said as he hoped to one side to avoid the rock spell. "_Averte Stature_!"

Brad got hit and went backwards and landed flat on his back. Brad wasn't out yet. He said so. "I'm not out yet Jacke!" He raised his wand from the floor and said "Flippendo!"

Jacke spun back but quickly got up at the same time Brad had. This duel was just heating up.

Tyler and Reggie were looking at the duel as if mesmerized. They had spoken a word and hardly blinked through the exchange of spells. Reggie had forgotten to take note on their strategy because he was enjoying the duel. Tyler had excitement running through his blood.

"That's what I'm talking about."

"What's that mean?" asked Tyler.

"Muggle term, I'll tell you later."

Neither one of them took their eyes of the duel when they were talking.

Brad pointed his wand at Jacke's direction and yelled "_Furnaculus_!"

Jacke countered by shouting "_Averte Stature_!"

The two spells hit each other and went into nothing on contact. The spells had cancelled each other out. Brad then shouted as hard as he can "_Vera Verto_!"

Before Brad brought the wand down to fire the spell, Jacke went into nervous thought. 'He wants to turn me into a goblet!' When he used his agility to dodge the spell he put on a more thankful thought. 'It's a good thing I practiced.'

Jacke then aimed at the floor near Brad's feet and yelled with the same ferocity. "_Scourgify_!"

The floor had a shine to it. Brad looked at Jacke like he was a loon. Coughing with amusement he moved forward to cast another spell when he started to slip up. He tried to maintain his balance but he kept tripping up. 'Now I know what he did, he supercleaned the floor to be slippery! I can't keep my balance' he thought very nervously still trying not to fall.

Jacke then shouted "_Expelliarmus_!" His spell hit Brad off the spot he was, disarming him.

"Your winner, ladies and gentlemen, Jacke Walker!" Cheers went out to Jacke over his defeat of Brad. Jacke went to help Brad up and they shook hands in sportsmanship. Then they both went to stand at the wall where they were with their fellow seekers. "Now, to the next match, Reginald Falkner, Tyler Solemn, ready your wands."

As they walked on to the dueling platform, Jacke went into thought. 'So, now that I know I'm in the final match, this duel will be the most important one to watch.'

Reggie and Tyler stared at each other in intensity from across the dueling ring.

'Okay, Tyler has been very good at executing his victories. I can't take my eyes off him because if you give him even a second then he'll make you regret it. That is one thing that Tyler does have in common with most of the other slytherins.'

'Alright. Now from what I've seen, Reggie always takes his time to know the movements of his opponents. Counts on the logic of the situation...Ravenclaws' he added as a sarcastic afterthought. 'If I want to beat him and go to the finals then I better win quickly. I can't take my time or it will give Reggie the time he needs to be in sync with my style.'

"Now, let's begin the duel. However wins this goes on to face Jacke Walker in the final match. Go on my count. 1,2,3"

Tyler immediately moved his feet into defensive position. Reggie flicked his wand and said "_Flippendo_!"

Tyler dropped to the floor as he felt the hex's force pass over him. "He then yelled "_Averte Stature_!"

Reggie jumped as hard as he could to avoid the ground-scraping hex. Tyler had gotten up and then moved at a sideways run to avoid a Jelly Legs from Reggie.

'Hmm, I have to catch him off guard with something he won't expect. I think I know just the thing...Hopefully, HE doesn't expect it, seeing as he saw my duels with Jacke and Kornbeck. I better hope that Reggie doesn't remember it.'

Jacke was watching with unbreakable intensity. This duel was heating up and Jacke could feel his heart going the speed as pixie flapping its wings. He was going to face the winner and he was dieing with wonder.

Brad looked from the duel to Jacke. 'Jacke seems so preoccupied completely on the duel. I guess I can't blame him. If I had won then I might be the same way,' he thought as he turned his attention back to the duel.

"Okay, take this Reggie, _Rictusempra_!"

His laughing jinx missed Reggie completely. So much if Reggie didn't move to dodge it, it would've missed him anyway. 'What's Tyler thinking? I can't worry now about that. He probably got a little weary from hitting the ground, must've hit his head and upset his sight.' "_Giairanshi_!"

Tyler tried to move but noticed that his legs were getting tired. Reggie's spell hit Tyler's shoes turning them to stone like Brad had done in his first match.

'Okay, so Reggie disabled me. No problem, my plan can still work, that is if he isn't expecting it.' Tyler pointed his wand and yelled "_Expelliarmus_!"

Reggie dodged and said, "Missed, now my turn, _Expelliarmus_!"

'Perfect, Tyler can't move to avoid it.'

'Perfect, here it comes.'

Tyler then raised his wand in a straight line in front of his face and yelled, "_Protego_!"

His shield charm bounced the red disarming spell back at Reggie catching him completely off guard. His wand flew off and landed apart from him.

'Okay, first part's done, now to finish this. Reggie can still get his wand so,' "_Wingardium Leviosa!_"

The wand flew up, above Reggie's reach making Tyler the winner.

"Well, Tyler Solemn has won his duel folks!"

The slytherins, especially Matt, cheered for their fellow slytherin and his victory. Tyler knew that it was because they had a slytherin in the finals and it just happened to be him. Brad and Jacke clapped as hard as they could for their friend. Reggie got up while Arnold returned his petrified shoes to normal. Reggie smiled at him in congratulations as he headed for where Jacke and Brad were.

"The next and final duel of the tournament begins right now. "Jacke Walker of Gryffindor will face Tyler Solemn of Slytherin. The winner will receive 50 house points and be declared the 2nd year champion."

At these words, Tyler wanted to strangle Arnold more then he ever did. Jacke also was surprised at the sudden turn of events.

'What! I don't even get a chance to breathe and calm myself down and already I have to be in another duel!' He took a look at Jacke who was coming to stand where Reggie was. 'Well, I can't do anything about that now. I'm going to have to reach into my more...effective spells if I'm going to beat Jacke. I may have held back with my previous duels but now I think I have a good excuse. If anyone asks about where I got this spell then I'll just say I looked up spells for the tournament all week. But I'll tell my fellow seekers and my favorite slytherin pair the truth.'

Jacke looked at Tyler with purpose. 'Okay then, here it is. Me against Tyler for the fifty points and honor as being the 2nd year champion. Now, I'm going to need all my agility for this. Tyler is very tricky and you can never assume when it comes to him. He tricked and fooled Reggie under his smart nose. But if he thinks I'm going to be afraid of his tricks then he's forgotten the house I'm in.'

Tyler caught sight of Matt in the crowd who gave him a nod that he could tell said, "Take him out!"

"Let the match, begin, 1,2,3!"

Normally this event made spells fly out but not this time. Jacke and Tyler just stood there looking at one another. Their stares at each other were mind-boggling. The crowd was very quiet waiting for the first spell to be thrown. It reminded them all of the quidditch match when Jacke and Tyler pulled out of the dive and filled the crowd with suspense on who caught the snitch. This time there was a new suspenseful question. Who was going to throw the first spell?

Brad and Reggie stood there and watched as their best friends and fellow seekers had a stare down. It reminded both Brad and Reggie of muggle stories of the old west. Waiting for the cowboys to yell draw and pull out their guns. Now it was to see who would be the first to raise their wand.

'Hmm, why isn't Jacke moving? I want to save what little breath I have and only move if I have to. Although, this waiting is making me catch my breathe from that duel with Reggie. Wait,' he thought quickly to himself. 'That must be why Jacke isn't doing anything. He saw that I immediately got forced into this duel so he's giving me time to recover. But...why? Wait of course...the promise.'

'I'm going to keep calm and still until there is the slight movement from Tyler. When he starts to move then I'll know he's healed himself. I want to fight him at his best, not at his weakened self. Beating him would be easier and great but it won't mean as much to me if I know that I did it the cowardly and easy way. Besides I made a promise and I'm going to keep it.'

It must've been still and quiet for ten minutes. Then Tyler moved his hand slightly.

"_Averte Stature_!" This spell left both of the seekers' mouths and they collided and cancelled each other out. Jacke then recovered from this and yelled, "_Scourgify_!"

His cleaning spell missed Tyler and he struck back. "_Pungrespera_! Pay back Jacke"

Jacke, moved himself out of the way of the spell, he threw a flipper hex as he dodged hitting Tyler square in the chest. Tyler coughed at the spell and Jacke took the opportunity to yell another good charm.

"_Silencio_!" 'Good thing Reggie did this spell so I could use it.'

"No you don't," Tyler said suddenly with his coughy voice. "_Protego_!"

The charm bounced right back at Jacke who got hit with it. It was almost an exact repeat of the previous match. Jacke tried to open his mouth to talk but no sound came from him. Tyler took advantage and started to get himself healed from that flipper hex to the chest. When he was ready he smirked at Jacke. "_Expellia_..."

Before he could finish that spell, Jacke sent sparks at him from his wand making Tyler move back in surprise. Before they knew it sound came from Jacke's mouth.

'The silence charm must not have been strong when it hit my barrier. Jacke obviously hasn't practiced that charm too much. That or it could've weakened when my shield reflected it. No matter, time for my special advanced secret weapon,' he thought evilly.

"_Stupefy_!"

Jacke was surprised by this change in spells and dodged immediately. However, he caught a voice in the crowd.

"That, that was a stunning spell! That's fourth year stuff, how did that Solemn guy do that?"

'So Tyler had a surprise, well, I better end this quickly so I don't get another one.' "_Averte Stature_!"

As Tyler moved left to dodge that he spoke to Jacke in confidence. "Honestly, that spell doesn't work on meeeeee!"

Jacke had fired a disarming spell, which knocked Tyler off his feet. 'I figured he would go left, he always does.'

"Jacke Walker has won the tournament, ladies and gentlemen."

Anyone from outside could've swore that the Great Hall was close to collapsing from shocks from the crowd's reaction. The hall exploded in cheers on Jacke's victory. The people on the brooms that were outside, most of them were doing flips on their brooms at mid-air. What seemed to make most of the loud noise was that he triumphed over a slytherin in this time of war, which Jacke knew was part of the reason.

'Boy, they sure are happy I won over a slytherin. In a way, they don't know how true that is,' he thought in a sense of poetic justice.'

Tyler got up and stared at Jacke catching his eye. They just looked at each other before Tyler broke into a small smile and walked off over to the other seekers.

"Now Professor Dumbledore would like to address you all."

Professor Dumbledore walked over to Jacke with Professor McGonagall by his side carrying the golden trophy that was on the table. McGonagall was crying in happiness and her face had a bigger smile with every step.

'I could've been the one there,' he thought solemnly. 'If I wasn't so cocky then I could've beaten Jacke. Professor Dumbledore would be awarding the trophy and the points to me and slytherin house. Professor Reckler would be the one there instead too. I guess I should stop this feeling. Jacke did win and he's my friend. He must be so happy so I better be happy for him and not spoil it.'

On Tyler's closer inspection of the trophy it had the words "**Second Year Champion 1986-87**" engraved in it. He also saw that Jacke's full name, Jacke Ronald Walker, also embedded itself on it, probably magically.

At that, Tyler was almost completely thankful he lost. If he had won, then his whole name might've been on public display and his cover blown. Whatever upset feelings he had of losing were replaced with relief. He suddenly felt even happier for Jacke.

"I would like to award this trophy to Mr. Walker for his outstanding talents in dueling. Well done Mr. Walker. This trophy will mark your achievement permanently in the trophy room at Hogwarts forever. And as per the other prize of the tournament, I hereby award Gryffindor House, Fifty points."

There were more shouts though hardly any from the slytherins after these words. The red sand on the Gryffindor House hourglass, which held the points filled with more red ruby sand. Jacke took the trophy and held it up in winning fashion. Brad, Reggie and also Tyler yelled and clapped hard at their friend's success.

Little did Tyler know however that a pair of eyes were looking at him with loathing and had an evil smile on their lips.

**End of Chapter 12**

Nightlit: Thanks for the review. To answer your previous question, Flippendo came from the Harry Potter Games. That's where I got it from, it wasn't in the movies unless I missed it. I'm glad you liked the first dueling chapter. Anyway, good luck on your story and I hope you'll tell me what you thought of this chapter.

SwollenFudge: First, let me say that I know my previous review wasn't good but the computer kept erasing the full review I wanted to right. I thought it would be safer if I just typed the basics of it only. But I can tell you now that I loved your dream/capture scene of Ron. It was mind-boggling how Hermione saw everything in such detail. I hope that you're fast reviewing is a regular streak. Also, glad you enjoyed the first part of the tournament, Hope you like the ending.

Author Notes:

The tournament is over. I had spent days on trying to get it to be great. The problem was not being able to use more spells because the competitors are after all just 2nd years. I hope it wasn't boring or low key for you guys though. The next chapter is now in construction. "Slytherins and the Seekers" It's where the Slytherins (the family) meet up with Tyler's friends that they heard about after a quidditch game of Slytherin vs. Ravenclaw. Also they meet Tyler's slytherin buds as well.

To those of you who took notice on the trophy's year and the following about the war going on. Yes, I know Harry got rid of Voldemort in 1981! I, however, moved everything ten years ahead. He didn't beat Voldemort until 1991 in my story line. Harry hasn't been born yet either, he gets born in 1990 rather than in 1980 also. I did tell you this in the first chapter in Elements of Transformation so don't review me about that. Review about anything else though, that will be comforting.

For the ones that are interested. My reviews always seem to come in on the exact day or after when a story is updated. I'll share my secret if you want. I use the public profile page of myself. If you check on your favorites list in the public profile page then the updated stories always are at the top of the list.

Also, for anyone who knows the site, Harry Potter Lexicon has stuff on the new book "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. May you have fun at it and I'll even give you all the site. Check it out at


	13. Slytherins and the Seekers

**Quest of the Seekers: Animals Within**  
  
Year Two at Hogwarts  
  
.  
  
Chapter 13: Slytherins and the Seekers  
  
.  
  
As the crowds cheered for Jacke, Tyler pulled Brad and Reggie away and told them to all meet in the cave tomorrow morning before breakfast. When Tyler separated from the massing crowds and got out of the Great Hall, he was tapped on the shoulder. It was Matt but he wasn't alone, he had the other slytherins behind him and each of them was looking at him expressionless. Tyler actually started to get nervous at the sight and tensed up.  
  
'Are they going to be aggressive at me for losing the tournament to Jacke?' he thought with a hint of fear.  
  
Then Matt brought him arms up and slowly clapped. One by one, the second year slytherins went into claps and one even smiled.  
  
"Good dueling Tyler, you really gave it your all for Slytherin out there. You went all out on Walker. You were so close mate." Matt narrowed his eyes and smiled at him.  
  
"Hey Solemn," came a female voice, which turned out to be Morgan Stellers. "Don't feel so bad on losing. I know how tough Walker is personally, remember?"  
  
"...Thanks Stellers," Tyler said with a little feeling of unease at all the attention. He was not used to girls or any other students talking normally to him other than the seekers and his slytherin trio of friends.  
  
Tyler then turned for the common room but found that the other second year slytherins were behind him. It seemed they were really impressed with Tyler's performance and it was the fact that most of them tried to ignore him that made Tyler get nervous again. He pulled Matt away and took him into a bathroom to talk privately. The others kept going on route to the common room.  
  
"Matt, are they ALL supportive of me out there?"  
  
"Well...they're impressed with you that's all. You see, from their point of view, they all thought of you as a weak oddball since you're a slytherin and you are best friends with guys from other houses and had to have Severus watching over you. But you were dueling hard against that same gryffindor that you always hang around with, with advanced spells, nevertheless, they're surprised that there seems to be more to you than they thought."  
  
"Really? I didn't think they would look at me like that just because I had a duel against my best friend." Matt looked at him with very confused eyes after he said that. "Oh come on, not now Matt, we discussed this already," he said clearly annoyed at Matt's attitude towards his friends and especially Jacke.  
  
"Fine, I didn't say a thing. But, back on with the others, I think they might not act the same way towards you. I think you just got their respect but I doubt they will line up to be your pals, after all, you did make Slytherin House look good out there but you still cheered for your friend's victory."  
  
"You won't see me going up to them and begging them to like me. Oh...and Matt, sorry about your lost to Hawkster. I was sort of looking forward to dueling you snake to snake."  
  
"Yeah well, I kind of did too but seeing you in action against those out of house friends of yours I think it was better that I lost," he said with a hint of relief which made Tyler snort. "Come on, let's go tell Regulus."  
  
Tyler and Matt arrived back to the common room entrance before the sliding stone panel.  
  
"Viper Eyes."  
  
The panel moved to the side revealing the passage to the Slytherin Common Room. They climbed in and looked for Regulus but didn't see him in the common room; they looked all over and even checked at the 5th year dorms but he wasn't there either.  
  
"Where is he?" asked Matt. "I thought he would be here to hear from us about how it went."  
  
"Maybe when the other second years got back and he saw that we weren't with them he went to go find us?" he guessed.  
  
"So lets go find him Tyler."  
  
They went to leave the common room to look for Regulus but before they could get to the exit, Regulus came bursting in looking like he had been running for a while.  
  
"Regulus," said Tyler. "Where were you? We were hoping to tell you about how we did in the tournament."  
  
"Oh there's no need. I heard from the second years that came in that your friend Jacke Walker from Gryffindor won."  
  
"Yeah he did. But didn't you hear who he won against Regulus?" asked Matt with a hint that there was a big secret in the air.  
  
"No, when I heard your friends name Tyler, I just went out of the common room to look for you because I didn't see you. I thought you two went to celebrate with them."  
  
"Come on Regulus. Me with the Gryffindors. I don't know about Tyler here but I wouldn't hang out with them if you paid me a thousand galleons."  
  
"Matt," Tyler said with a hint of warning. "No, I thought Jacke needed to celebrate with his own for a change. Also, I didn't feel the need to celebrate my defeat with the other Gryffindors."  
  
"Wait, your defeat? Does that mean you...?"  
  
"Yes, I was in the final match against him but I lost."  
  
"Congratulations Tyler. Oh no, not your defeat," he said quickly, "but your progress. Very good."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"Wait," said Matt suddenly. "I just remembered something that I wanted to ask you. You used two spells that I know are advanced. Er...a protecto and a stubefy?"  
  
"You mean _Protego_ and _Stupefy_? Tyler, you used the shield charm and the stunning hex?" Tyler nodded answering Regulus' question. "But that's fourth year stuff! How did you learn those spells and perform them?"  
  
"Oh, my dad shows me different spells during the holiday. I...practiced them before the tournament so I could have a bigger list of stuff to deal with."  
  
"And you used it against your friend Jacke?"  
  
"He didn't only used it against Walker Regulus. He used them on Falkner too in the semi finals."  
  
"Semi Finals? Oh Matt, did you lose in the semi finals to Walker."  
  
"No!...I didn't get to the semifinals."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"Oh,...he...lost in the second round, he didn't even make it to the quarter finals," Tyler said to save his friend from telling about his own downfall.  
  
"Oh, sorry," said Regulus with apology in his voice. "Who beat you?"  
  
"A stupid hufflepuff named Jones," Matt said solemnly.  
  
"Well, did you take care of him for him Tyler?"  
  
"No, my friend Brad eliminated him."  
  
"So, wait, You, Jacke, Reggie, and Brad got to the semi finals? All four of you guys?"  
  
"Yeah, it was one that we won't forget."  
  
Then Matt and Tyler went into better detail with Regulus on their experience on the dueling platform and the other parts of the tournament.  
  
...  
  
The next day, Tyler immediately ran off to the cave and saw that the other seekers were there and already talking but stopped when he came in.  
  
Reggie came up and gave him a pat on the back while Brad went and shook his hand hard.  
  
"Well, I got to hand it to you Tyler. You were very impressive out there yesterday. Though, you were a little too confident for your own good," Reggie said with a little amusement. Clearly, he was trying to tell Tyler off for his mistake in the form of a joke.  
  
"Thanks Reggie, and, no hard feelings for the defeat?"  
  
"Nah, you got me fair and square. I was really surprised myself when I didn't think you would use that shield charm to help you when you were stuck."  
  
"Wow, Tyler, you actually outSMARTed Reggie," Brad said with laughter and mock praise which made Tyler laugh and Reggie glare at him.  
  
Jacke, however, hadn't moved at all. Jacke looked at Tyler in the eye while Tyler stared right back. Reggie and Brad looked on at them until they went and shook hands.  
  
"Jacke, I didn't get to tell you yesterday but that was the best duel I ever fought."  
  
"Me too, Tyler," said Jacke a little slow. "So, what was that last spell you threw at me?"  
  
"Oh, that was a stunning spell. It's supposed to keep you completely stunned until you're revived."  
  
"Oh...well, thanks for telling me. It got me a little scared when I won into thinking what would've happened if I hadn't dodged it."  
  
For some reason Jacke seemed to be a little shaken after this but Tyler couldn't place why. The stunning spell was actually pretty harmless. Why was Jacke still looking nervous? Brad and Reggie looked intrigued that Tyler knew such an advanced spell. Reggie even asked if he could show them how to do it and he gave a promise to show them next Sunday. He smiled at this but still looked a little gloomy. Tyler decided to go on to another subject and one immediately popped into his head like his lightning.  
  
"Jacke, I was wondering," he said with a little hint of teasing, which surprised Jacke a little. "Were you blushing when you went up against my fellow house mate Morgan Stellers?"  
  
"No," he said a little quickly making Brad snort and Reggie elbow him. "...I was just a little...it was just strange because I never dueled with a girl before in the entire tournament, that's all." Tyler saw that Jacke was still getting red during and after he said this, which made him snort too.  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Tyler!...ah, let's go, we'll be missed because breakfast is starting." Tyler had the hint he only said this to both change the subject and to avoid more questions.  
  
...  
  
The following days had been very cheerful for the seekers. The tournament had given Tyler's friends what he thought they deserved: the chance to interact with those in their own houses. Before, Jacke, Reggie and Brad were completely ignored but now they were being talked to (as long as Tyler wasn't seen or mentioned). They were still respected as loners but still; it was a bigger improvement than being completely shunned on sight.  
  
Tyler was also getting regular talks by a few slytherins other than Regulus and Matt but it was only by the first, second and third years. Matt was right, they all felt like they underestimated him.  
  
Morgan Stellers was also starting to talk to Tyler a bit, more than the others in fact. She claimed that the loss to Jacke connected them. Tyler got a little nervous around her but was able to ignore it and they soon became regular friends on a first name basis. She seemed to like a few of the things that Tyler did; Quidditch, dueling, defense spells and curses were among them. She gave off the aura of someone who could seriously take care of herself.  
  
...  
  
Before the seekers knew it, March had come with warmer weather but was still cool which demanded everyone to always be in jumpers. The seekers put more into using the cave for practice. Tyler showed them the stunning spell and also showed Jacke the shield charm, which he had promised him. They were still rusty but with a little more practice, Tyler thought they would be able to get it. Their animal forms were also being trained with and they were always waiting for the next chance to train with them after they finished. The four of them liked being animals, (literally) and starting to come up with new uses for their animagus forms. Jacke revealed that he had been running as fast as he could in his lion form and had used the speed that he built up in the tournament. Brad and Tyler went into digging and loved to use their new forms to play tag, a muggle game that Brad taught them, underground with Tyler. Reggie went into loving to fly without a broomstick. He loved it and surprised them all by leaving the cave and trying it out in the open. Apparently, Reggie was opening himself up more and not being so attached to rules.  
  
One day, when Tyler and Matt came into the common room after classes, they were approached by Captain Oakmire.  
  
"Solemn, suit up, we have training right now. You especially are going to be needed."  
  
"What? I don't remember you scheduling a practice for today."  
  
"I just made it. Our next match against Ravenclaw is on Sunday so we're training right now. Now move it!"  
  
After Oakmire left, Tyler and Matt shared a look that plainly said that they were surprised at the slytherin captain.  
  
"Whoa, Oakmire is really out of it. I'm glad I'm not on the team, you have my deepest pity."  
  
"You said it Matt. I think he's training us extra hard because he's worried about the ravenclaw chasers. Remember when they played against Hufflepuff? They're unbelievable so Oakmire would be worried that he, Gansley and Crump would have their hands full. But, I wonder what he meant about especially me needing it?"  
  
"Well," Matt said touching his chin in thought. "Like you said, those chasers are unbelievable. He's probably counting on you to catch the snitch before Ravenclaw can outscore us to win."  
  
"Great, knowing Oakmire is depending on me I bet he's going to give me a rigorous training session," Tyler moaned. "Well...it's a good thing I have this for luck out during quidditch training." He pointed to his chest and pulled out a pendant.  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"Oh...Matt, this is a pendant that Regulus gave me last Christmas. I've kept it close to me for luck since it has a potion in it."  
  
"A potion? What potion's in there mate?"  
  
"One that heals deep natural cuts and bruises. Very powerful and if Oakmire is planning what we think then I may need it."  
  
Practice was hectic and Tyler was completely exhausted. Oakmire made Tyler fly nonstop through a constant bludger attack from Dellen, going for the snitch, for a solid five hours. Gansley and Crump had to be put in an exercise of putting the quaffle inside the goals at least 5 times in 10 minutes avoiding Oakmire's attempts to steal it, Tanner, and Mefist the keeper.  
  
However, as tired as he was he still went to a table in the common room to write a letter. He had told his father that he would write them a letter about the next quidditch match so they could watch.  
  
_Dad, Mom,  
  
I'm going to be in the next quidditch match, which is on Sunday. I hope you could make it. Tell grandma and grandpa because I would love for them to see this too. I'm going to be playing against Ravenclaw and actually be up against one of my friends and I could use your support because he's a tough player.  
  
Best to Yenze, Serpentine and Grandpa's Fissure,  
  
Tyler  
_  
Tyler took the letter and went up to the owlery. He whistled for Pandy and after handing him a good, fat owl treat, fastened the note to his leg and watched him take off for home.  
  
...  
  
One day before the game, Pandy came with the morning mail and was carrying his parent's reply. The letter said that they were coming tomorrow with his grandparents. Tyler was excited at this but then his face fell when he read on. They, apparently, also wanted to meet his friends. Regulus and Matt weren't the problem; it was the seekers that worried him. Sure, they knew about his family but what if they were uncomfortable and let it slip that they know. His family would not only be worried but they would probably never forgive Tyler if they found out that he told them all willingly.  
  
He gathered the seekers in front of the lake to talk to them.  
  
"Guys, I have to ask something really important from you."  
  
"What is it?" they said in unison.  
  
"Well, my parents are coming to watch the game tomorrow and they want to meet you guys."  
  
"Oh, well, I would like to meet them too," said Reggie.  
  
"Yeah, I know you told us about your dad and grandpa but it still would be nice to see how they are." Brad added.  
  
"Well, you see, that's the problem. Remember, they aren't to know that I told you about us. If they find out then they would probably never forgive me and they would most probably wipe out your memories before I could get them to see that you won't tell."  
  
"So, what do you want us to do?" asked Jacke in a serious tone they all rarely heard.  
  
"I want you guys to not let it slip that you know, okay? That's all I'm asking, just be careful around them."  
  
They all assured Tyler that they would be careful around his family and not say anything that would give them away.  
  
When they returned to the Great Hall, Tyler went over to Regulus and Matt at the Slytherin table and told each of them, since Regulus was with the older guys that he would like them to meet his family, which they both agreed that they would love to.  
  
...  
  
Sunday was here and Tyler was getting geared up for the game. Oakmire came in to the room with a big sneer on his face.  
  
"Alright, we may have lost our first match against Gryffindor but that's going to change. We will still win the cup and we are going to start by defeating Ravenclaw. Gansley, Crump, you two better not screw up your throwing out there. Dellen, Tanner, you two make sure that those bludgers stay off all of us and only land on a Ravenclaw! Mefist, you better not let us down and fail to block those goals out there or else. And Solemn," Tyler gave a gulp that he hoped none of them saw. "You better be the one who catches the snitch. If you don't then you'll have to answer to my wrath."  
  
Tyler gave a good noticeable nod of understanding and tried to not look at Oakmire by admiring his shoes and the bottom of his quidditch robes.  
  
The game was in full force. The ravenclaw chasers were just as unbelievable as in their last match. Oakmire had been trying to elbow their heads at every possible chance he got while the beaters hit the bludgers at the blue colored players with a vengeance. Oakmire's words really had the team playing with ferocity. The snitch had still not been seen yet and Tyler was getting worried. Reggie was circling the pitch like Tyler was on his Comet 200 broomstick, which was a pretty good one. The ravenclaw team was up by 130 points. Every time Oakmire flew by him, he shot Tyler a demanding look. Suddenly Reggie had shot his way toward the east part of the pitch, close to the stands. Apparently, he had spotted the snitch and Tyler leaned on his broom and went on after him. They sent themselves on the fronts of their brooms, trying to push themselves to the snitch before the other could catch it. Reggie had a lead but Tyler was right behind him. The snitch then went on against the wall of the bleachers and Reggie was on it's tail closing in. Tyler soon realized that there would be no way to catch the snitch if he kept going the way he was going. Another ding sounded meaning that another score had been made but Tyler couldn't pay attention to which team it was. Tyler then got an amazing but crazy thought. He pulled out of the path around the wall and headed into a straight line to intersect with Reggie and the snitch. Hopefully he could catch the snitch that way and beat Reggie but the downside was that he could miss the snitch and bash into Reggie. If he did get the snitch then he could bash into Reggie anyway. Tyler just hoped that Reggie would get cold feet at seeing he might connect with Tyler and pull out. Tyler launched toward a part of the surrounding wall where the snitch and Reggie were heading. Tyler was closing in and Reggie looked up and saw him going there. Tyler picked up the speed and Reggie sped up as well. Both were coming close to the snitch and both were set on catching it. Tyler put his hand forward and Reggie stretched his arm further. Both closed their eyes ready for impact. Their hands closed in on the snitch and it was...Tyler's hand around it. But Tyler became completely in Reggie's path and they rammed into each other. Their brooms stayed in the air where they made a letter T in the air while Reggie and Tyler headed for the ground. They screamed their lungs out and it looked like the impact with the ground was inevitable until they froze in mid-air. They both looked up and saw that the two Ravenclaw beaters Jasper Sagat and Lionel Clorkinski had them by the top of their robes. Tyler showed the stadium the snitch and heard from Villar the announcer that it was a tie game at 320 points apiece.  
  
When they went on the ground Tyler shook Reggie's hand in front of their teams. Oakmire wasn't happy and Tyler had the feeling that it was because of the tie or his attitude with Reggie, or both. Reggie said he'll go change later and went with Tyler who said that he was going to find his folks. Jacke and Reggie came over to them followed by Regulus and a reluctant Matt. The other players were all already in the changing rooms and the students were being escorted back to the castle so no one saw this gathering. Tyler told them to wait there while he went to get his family. After about 4 minutes of jumping and squeezing through the exiting crowds of witches and wizards, he spotted his father and mother. They were walking with his grandparents and even had Yenze with them.  
  
"Dad, Mom, hi!" he said giving a hug to each and then to his grandparents. "Grandpa, Grandma and Yenze too. It's great to see that you all came to see my match."  
  
"Yes, we wouldn't have missed it for the world."  
  
"Are you okay, son? That was a real nasty hit you and that other player had."  
  
"No, I'm okay, have a little headache but I'm fine. Here, come and meet my friends. They're over on the other hill."  
  
He took his family to where his friends were and introduced everyone to everyone. Whatever nervous feelings that Tyler had washed away. His fellow seekers didn't act in any way that was suspicious to his family. He thought the meeting went fairly well. When they all left, Regulus spoke out.  
  
"Tyler, your family really seems great," he said sounding a little too happy. Tyler remembered about what Regulus said about his mom and dad. They were pureblood fanatics and always put pressure on Regulus to do the same and Regulus told Tyler that he was scared to not support them...in their company anyway.  
  
"Yeah, I especially liked your grandpa, he seemed like a really cool guy."  
  
"Thanks Regulus, Matt. So," Tyler said turning to his friends, "What did you guys think?"  
  
But before they could answer a voice rang out.  
  
"Hey! Shouldn't you all be heading to the castle at this point." It was Professor Arnold.  
  
"Oh yes, sorry Professor," Tyler said trying not to sound too hateful. "We lost track of time, we'll go now."  
  
They all went for the castle to avoid another shout from Arnold. Regulus and Matt went on ahead while the seekers headed for the changing rooms. Jacke and Brad waited for Reggie and Tyler to change outside. When they all got back together they went to the castle and went straight to the library on Reggie's suggestion.  
  
"Well, it is after a quidditch game, I'm sure no one will be there right now."  
  
And as usual, Reggie was right. The library was empty and they grabbed a table.  
  
"So," said Tyler getting ready to repeat his earlier question. "What did you guys think of my folks."  
  
They all said basically the same thing. They were all a little nervous but once they started talking to them, they realized that they were quite normal. They went on about how cool they thought his dad and grandpa seemed to be and were surprised to know that they were parselmouths.  
  
"They weren't what I was expecting."  
  
"What WERE you expecting Jacke."  
  
"Oh...it doesn't matter anymore."  
  
Before Tyler could comment on that Reggie spoke.  
  
"Look, let's all head back to our common rooms now. I'm sure that our housemates will miss us especially ours," he said indicating Tyler and himself.  
  
They all went for their common rooms but not before Tyler and Jacke shared a look that told them both that the matter which they could've argued on about was gone...for now.  
  
**End of chapter 13**  
  
Nightlit: Glad you liked Brad and Jacke's duel during the tournament. I hoped I finally answered your question about Flippendo that you keep wondering about.  
  
SwollenFridge: So, you liked Jacke and Tyler's duel, well, I'm glad that I made it enjoyable for you.  
  
Author Notes:  
  
Well, chapter 13 has been done. I didn't go into detail of the meeting because it seemed of little importance too. The meeting itself was put in because it's a factor of the story that will be important later on. Jacke seems really preoccupied about something doesn't he? To you readers, I'll tell you why. He hasn't really been the same go easy guy that he was before the whole "finding out about Tyler speaking to snakes thing". Ever since then, he's just done a lot of thinking.  
  
The next chapter will be up once I'm done writing it. "Letters and Blank Words" Things are starting to go down at Hogwarts which seems to be connected to Tyler's secret. How will he react and who is responsible? He immediately has suspects that make him hurt to the core. Also, I haven't updated in a while because I've been going back and doing a little rewriting in my first book. In the third chapter of Elements of Transformation, I've extended the sorting scene revolving around Jacke, Brad's, Reggie's and Tyler's sorting so feel free to go back and see the new stuff. As for this chapter just hit the review button. 


	14. Letters and Blank Words

**Quest of the Seekers: Animals Within  
**  
Year Two at Hogwarts  
  
.  
  
Chapter 14: Letters and Blank Words  
  
...  
  
Times were starting to take a dull turn for the seekers inside Hogwarts and it was perfectly fine with them. Brad and Reggie were shocked to hear that Tyler and Jacke felt like quiet time is what they needed. Both felt that they've done the exciting for the whole year and they could use a vacation from it all now that they were animagi. However, they still blamed both Reggie and Brad for influencing their calm nature away from adventure just like Reggie had started blaming them for his mischievous behavior. Brad was as normal as always, calm but did like a spot of excitement here and there.  
  
Spring had begun to approach as it turned to the month of April. Easter Holidays were here but everyone was using that time to study and finish up any left over work. Even the trio of slytherins, as the seekers called them, were seen in a dull light. Tyler already went into a trance to finish his stockpiling homework and started to go into deep studying. Matt joined in on the studying with Tyler and also like him, started to avoid Regulus lately. Regulus started to go into a stronger study trance than they were. He was getting himself ready for his O.W.L.'s or Ordinary Wizarding Level exams. When either of them tried to talk or ask him something then he would snap at them.  
  
Quidditch was also starting to become ordinary routine for Tyler. Oakmire's behavior during practice wasn't improving at all though. He was getting more harder on the team because they wanted to get the cup but they only won one game and had tied with Ravenclaw so he became hostile. Tyler figured that complaining was only going to give Oakmire satisfaction that he was getting to him so he kept his mouth shut and accepted it.  
  
Things were pretty normal around Hogwarts but if the seekers thought it was going to be this way for the rest of the year – then they were dead wrong. One day when Matt, Tyler and Morgan, who sort of became an unofficial member of their circle, walked out of potions class with the other slytherins and gryffindors to find the letters H and T burned into the walls. Reckler came out of the classroom to find out why the students weren't moving on and also saw the scorched wall.  
  
"Everyone! Go to your next classes right now! The headmaster will deal with this!" Reckler shouted to the students.  
  
Tyler saw that some of the slytherins were interested with the burned walls. The Gryffindors seemed nervous and Jacke looked as blank as a parchment. When the three slytherins went onward to Transfiguration, they went into conversation.  
  
"What was all that about? Why would anyone burn an H and a T into the walls?" asked Matt.  
  
"Burn...burn!"  
  
"What's wrong Tyler?" asked Morgan.  
  
"Oh nothing, just thinking out loud."  
  
"Know anything about the wall?" asked Matt.  
  
"No...my mind just wandered," he answered back before going into silent thinking. 'Could it possibly be...I mean, his face WAS expressionless like he was hiding something, kind of suspicious. Nah, I'm just thinking too much, besides why would he burn an H and a T on the walls?'  
  
The slytherins got over to their next class, which was missing Professor McGonagall, which they deduced, was because she was dealing with the walls near the potion classroom. The ravenclaws started to file in and Tyler went to Reggie to tell him what happened. Reggie did look surprised but it wasn't for long before his face made it obvious he was thinking. It didn't last long because McGonagall finally came into the classroom looking a little flustered.  
  
Professor McGonagall's lesson drove the incident out of everyone's mind. They had to transfigure their beetles into teacups, which was alerting because they had to make sure the beetles or legged teacups didn't crawl away.  
  
The bell sounded and before Tyler could say bye to Reggie, there was a scream outside the doors. When Tyler and Reggie went outside they saw what was screamed about. Like what happened outside the potion classroom there were two letters burned to the wall. This time they were the letters U and O. Tyler saw McGonagall turn pale at the large scorch letters at the walls.  
  
...  
  
The next two weeks had nervous breakdowns and jumps all over Hogwarts. According to the teachers and prefects, the walls were hit with magical fire to burn the holes and letters in them. But they assured that Filch was going to paint over them and they'll be as good as new. They also assured them that they were sure that the damage to the walls were the result of a prank but in the student's minds those were just cover stories and rumors were made. There were stories of a new undercover gang in Hogwarts vandalizing the school and Tyler even heard that some people thought it was Voldemort and his Death Eaters that were responsible for the scorches.  
  
What made the matter worse was that the attacks kept on going. Three days after the first day there were more letters burned on the walls. This time it was out on the grounds and they were the letters M and L. They were on burned upturned earth right on the grounds in a 15-foot length. Tyler saw these when he and his other classmates headed toward the greenhouses for Herbology and the students started openwide at the letters until one of them got Professor Sprout.  
  
...  
  
Two days later, after the Great Hall emptied from dinner, the students all became shocked to see the ceiling having burned in letters of an E and an S as well.  
  
Tyler racked his head after that "incident" as they were being called. He couldn't understand, these letters didn't make sense. They seemed completely at random. With the burned messages, Tyler had one suspect but it couldn't be...him. It could've been an older student or students.  
  
The new word going around was that the letters might've meant initials or a pair's first name or last names. Or it could be that they spelled the name of their group but all they had were HTUOMLES in order, which didn't spell anything. Tyler was completely lost, he wanted to let the teachers deal with this but he was too curious for his own good. He also couldn't talk to his friends about it because the students were either in tense classrooms or being rushed to their common rooms. All he had were the opinions of the slytherins, which weren't much to go on since the other houses didn't share anything with them. All he had were Matt, Regulus and Morgan to talk to which was good but he still needed his fellow seekers for a different view of things.  
  
...  
  
Another burn message was in the boy's bathroom this time, with an R and A burned into the wall opposite of the mirrors and sink. Tyler stumbled onto them when he went to wash up after Charms.  
  
With these incident chains, it became impossible to meet with Brad, Reggie and Jacke. All quidditch practices started to have a teacher and the pitch was off-limits during a practice meaning that he couldn't catch his friends and vice versa after practice. Was Tyler in another house, he would've given up and accepted the hopeless. However, he was in slytherin, and the motto (or one of them) was that "you want it to happen, have the will so it will happen.)""  
  
He sent Pandy with a message to each of the seekers telling them to all meet in the cave after the quidditch match of Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff which was in two weeks. When the seekers got Pandy to give them the letters on his leg, they gave Tyler nods telling him they'll be there.  
  
The two weeks leading to that match were far from uneventful. Four days later, after the slytherins were on their way to their defense class, another incident became aware. A P was there burned right at the turn where they had to take to go to the classroom. Professor Arnold came up behind him, on his way to the classroom as well, and froze at the sight of the letter. He asked Matt to get Professor Dumbledore at the staff room while he told the other slytherins to go wait in the classroom. Morgan came to Tyler when they entered the classroom to talk.  
  
"This is getting complicated. Who would burn these letters to the wall anyway? It's nonsense."  
  
"I think they're trying to scare the school."  
  
"With...letters? Please, if fear is what they want then this is far from that. Must be hufflepuffs that are doing this since it's pathetic like they all are."  
  
"Enough stop," interrupted Tyler. "Please...don't tease the other houses when I'm around," he added with a tired voice.  
  
"Why?...oh, your friends."  
  
He nodded and Morgan stopped but looked at Tyler with a worried glance. "Don't worry, I'm not mad at you. Regulus and Matt understand this about me and they respect this. Just don't do it again okay? Also, I did say "around me"."  
  
"Yeah well anyway, I'm starting to get tired of the teachers overreacting to these incidents. They're just letters and no one's even been hurt."  
  
...  
  
The day before the quidditch match and the group talk in the cave had come and everyone was trying to get through the day quickly. Tyler himself was anxious to get through the day and get into tomorrow. Soon, the day went by and the last class was in sight: Defense class with Arnold. Tyler and the other slytherins headed for the classroom with Arnold right behind him telling them to move on and when they finally got the classroom they all froze.  
  
On the right side wall, there were burned letters again but this time was different. Instead of two or one letter(s), there was an entire word and arrow message.  
  
BACK WORD ;  
  
This message was also meet with broken desks and chairs, the damage missing the portrait on the front wall. Professor Arnold tried to get everyone's attention through the muttering.  
  
"Students...students...STUDENTS!" which finally got everyone to look at him. "Everyone go to back to the common room. The class will be canceled for today."  
  
They all turned and headed towards the common room but then all of them went in different directions to spend this free time anywhere but the common room. However, the only one who was heading for the common room was Tyler.  
  
"Tyler! Are you going back to the common room? Let's spend this free time in another place," pleaded Matt.  
  
"I'm heading back there, you don't have to come with me. Don't let me ruin your free time, have fun without me, okay mate?"  
  
"Well...okay, but seriously, you'd rather go back to the common room? We've been there nonstop during all of our free time since these stupid incidents. You need to have a break from it all."  
  
"Alright thanks."  
  
Tyler hurried his pace and Matt shrugged his shoulders and headed down the opposite hall. Tyler got back to the common room and found to his pleasure that it was empty. He pulled out the parchment where he had written all the letter clues and put in the last message. All together it was HT, UO, ML, ES, RA, P, BACK WORD .  
  
'Hm...Backwords and an arrow. Maybe it means flip everything around.'  
  
So Tyler began turning the previous letters and when he was finished, he dropped his quill and opened his eyes in horror. On the parchment was P, AR, SE, LM, OU, TH. Put it together and you get PARSELMOUTH!!!!!  
  
Tyler was finding it hard to breathe. Was this message about him?  
  
"No, this can't be," he said quietly to himself. "No wait, everytime the incidents happened, they happened to happen right in my path. Also, they were all first discovered by my group every time. Some one's dangling my secret around. But...who? The only ones in this school, no world, that now about me is my family and my frie..."  
  
He then got his answer and then got a malicious glare in his eyes.  
  
...  
  
Jacke got back to his common room and went to his bed so he could rest up for the game tomorrow against Hufflepuff. But, instead of falling asleep, he went into thinking.  
  
'Hm...another incident and this time it was inside a classroom. This is getting crazy and I can't help but feel that maybe Tyler is a part of all this. The other gryffindors did bring up a good point. All of these incidents happen and the slytherin 2nd years just happen to be at the scene at every one of them. Tyler was there at every incident and I do know what he is. I honestly don't know if I can trust him anymore. My parents always told me stories on how parselmouths were killers and evil dark wizards.'  
  
He started to turn responding to the uncomfortable feeling in his stomach that was obviously not from dinner.  
  
'Well, I can't think about this now. I do have a match tomorrow and it's against Brad. He's tough and I can't let Gryffindor lose another match because we can't afford another loss if we want the cup.'  
  
After about 2 hours of turning and thoughtless gaze, Jacke finally managed to get to sleep.  
  
...  
  
The match with Gryffindor and Hufflepuff was met with great cheerful energy that Hogwarts had started to be lacking for the past few weeks. The chasers on both teams were pulling all the stops since both teams had lost their first matches. So far, it was Gryffindor with 110 points and Hufflepuff with 50 points. Jacke was hovering in the air and so was Brad a couple of feet from him. The snitch nowhere in sight but the game had still just started.  
  
Tyler was sitting in the usual location on the stands with his fellow slytherins, Matt, Regulus and now Morgan who really started to like hanging out with Tyler, Regulus and Matt.  
  
Reggie was next to Tyler, on his left side but couldn't help noticing that Tyler hadn't said not one word to him.  
  
'Why is Tyler trying to ignore me? It can't be because of Stellers can it? I'm sure, if they are friends that he would've told her about the three of us. And why is Tyler glaring at Jacke and Brad?...Maybe I'm just hallucinating. Yeah, he could just be concentrating on Brad's moves, after all, he is going to face him in his last match. I guess he's saving talking to us for the cave.'  
  
Tyler couldn't help but glare at Brad and Jacke. He also wanted to glare at Reggie but since he was right there he didn't want to do something that he could regret doing especially in public.  
  
Brad was scanning for the snitch. He hoped that he could find it before Jacke did. It needed to be caught fast because if the match dragged on longer then it wouldn't matter if he caught it or not because the chasers wouldn't be able to keep up with the Gryffindor ones.  
  
After forty minutes the score was 340 to 220 with Gryffindor in the lead. Jacke was beating the urge to twirl on his broom but needed to keep focused. Sure they were in the lead now but if Brad caught the snitch then they would lose.  
  
Jacke and Brad were now so close to each other that they could have a conversation if they wanted. There was no glittering anywhere on the pitch at all but they were soon joined by the sound of wing buzzing. They both looked at each other to find the snitch, slap dab in between them. They both looked at it and then to each other. It was at that moment that the snitch went zooming off and the gryffindor and hufflepuff seekers zoomed right for it. They were equal in distance from it and they both started to close in on it. They extended their hands out and picked up speed. Their hands side by side going for the snitch in the middle of their path. Then one of the hands snatched it and claimed their team's victory. The commentator Phil Villar, yelled out the final result.  
  
"Jacke Walker has caught the snitch! The final score is 490 to 220, Gryffindor Wins!"  
  
...  
  
Jacke, Brad, and Reggie gathered in the cave after Jacke and Brad " Brad moved his hand out for Jacke to shake, which he did.  
  
"Thanks, you weren't an easy win Brad. You're a great seeker yourself. Had I been maybe two inches behind then you would've won."  
  
"You two were fantastic out there," shouted Reggie. "Er...wait, have any of you seen Tyler?"  
  
"No."  
  
"I haven't."  
  
"That's weird. He writes for us to meet and he doesn't show."  
  
"You think he's been caught?" asked Brad.  
  
"I hope not," whispered Reggie.  
  
...  
  
Tyler talked to Regulus, Matt and to Morgan about the match and they said that by the way Hufflepuff played, their team would destroy them. Tyler was only paying half-attention because he wanted to get to the cave but didn't want them following.  
  
"Yeah, definitely. Listen, I'm going to go to the changing rooms to see my friends. Don't wait up for me."  
  
"Wait, maybe I'll go with you," said Regulus. "I haven't talked to your other friends either for a while. Maybe I'll join you guys."  
  
"No," Tyler said a little too quickly getting raised eyebrows from his three slytherin comrades. "It's a little personal thing and it's something only the four of us have to discuss...alone but thanks anyway and I will tell them that you send your regards."  
  
"Well...okay but don't be gone too long Tyler or you'll be skinned alive if a teacher finds you out in the halls too late."  
  
They left leaving Tyler alone to sneak off into the cave. He saw that there were still adult figures moving on the grounds and it didn't seem likely he could get the other side of the lake without being seen.  
  
'Wait, why am I worried about that. I'm an Animagus,' he thought with a little humor.  
  
He went behind a tree and after checking to see if it was safe, transformed into the emerald green snake that was his animal form and slithered to the cave. When he got to the valley, he pulled out his wand and levitated the rock door out of the way and climbed in.  
  
...  
  
"Oh, here he is now," said Jacke.  
  
Tyler came in and put on his most intimidating face. His friends looked nervous under his gaze as his black eyes gave off the feeling of anger that he was feeling. Tyler's eyes always had the effect to let people know who he was feeling and it filled the air with his feeling.  
  
The air had tense anger around and soon the other seekers were feeling anger as to why he wasn't saying anything.  
  
"Tyler, what's wrong," asked Brad who was a little annoyed with the silence.  
  
"What's wrong...what's wrong, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha," Tyler laughed with a little craziness present. "I think that the three of you know perfectly well what's wrong!" he said getting a little red in the face.  
  
"Tyler!" yelled Jacke. "What's your problem?!"  
  
"THIS is my problem!" He then pulled out the folded parchment with his clues. "I've been putting all the letters and messages that were BURNED into the walls and couldn't help but realize what they point out to. But of course you would now. Playing with my secret, no, my LIFE like that!!"  
  
"Tyler, what are you talking about?" asked Reggie.  
  
"This," he said throwing the parchment at the three of them.  
  
Reggie picked it up and the other two looked at it with him. When they saw the clues they stared hard at the parchment in disbelief.  
  
"You mean, someone knows about your,"  
  
"Oh cut out the dragon dung guys!" Tyler said interrupting Brad. "I know that it was you three doing all this."  
  
The three of them looked at Tyler, each believing they hadn't heard right.  
  
"Yeah, I put all the clues together. You three are the only ones that now about me so you are the only ones that it could only be. Magical fire, that points to you Jacke!" he said pointing his finger at his best friend. "How the messages always appear when I'm around. Every time it's before or after a class when I have it with you guys, you were either out of the room or not there yet.!"  
  
"Wait Tyler," Jacke cutting him off. "If you're talking about the first incident, I was in the bathroom and the message wasn't there when I got back."  
  
"You Liar!"  
  
"Tyler!" shouted Reggie. "How could we have possibly done this? We haven't been in contact with each other. Also, how could we possible get to each of these locations without a teacher seeing us? Think about it."  
  
"Don't lecture me, I'm not stupid! You think I didn't think that?! Hello, you're all animagi! You all can control how big or SMALL we can make our forms and you just had to become the size of rats to get to the locations unseen! Also, you could've sent messages to each other just like you did during the Christmas holidays!"  
  
"Tyler!" Brad mimicking Reggie's yell. "We gave you our words that this secret wouldn't be told! We promised you this secret would always be kept secret. Come on, we're your friends!!"  
  
"My friends?!" Tyler said choking back a few tears. "...Some friends who can't keep their words and use tricks in their promises. Telling my secret, you put it in code!! Some friends you are! It's because I'm in slytherin isn't it. Had I been in one of your houses with this secret then I bet this wouldn't have happened."  
  
Before the others could respond Tyler ran out of the cave back to his common room miraculously not running into any teachers or prefects on the way there. He ignored Matt and Regulus who called out to him and went to the dormitory. He pulled the hangings to his bed closed and collapsed in his bed crying into his pillow.  
  
The other seekers were in the cave shocked at Tyler's outburst. They couldn't believe Tyler accused them of playing around with his secret and his life like that. Reggie and Brad were just plain shocked at the accusation Tyler made. Jacke, however, felt a little more guilty then shocked.  
  
**End of chapter 14**  
  
Tigercub15: Hello, and thanks for your reviews for both of my stories. I also see you put me on your favorites lists. Thank you and you stories are brilliant.  
  
I'm not the weakest link: Thanks for your reviews. I appreciate the picture...if I could just get to it so I could see it.  
  
Author Notes:  
  
Chapter 14 is now over and done with. Pretty emotional huh? Could this be the end of the seekers or...their friendship? Only time will tell but let me assure you that this story will be having a happy ending, sort of. Next up is Chapter 15 which is when Tyler tries to calm down with his slytherin friends and also has a little adventure with Chaos. "Tunnel Network of Hogwarts"  
  
Also, I'm going on vacation tomorrow so I won't be updating or reviewing for at least a few days. I tried very hard to get this last chapter up so you could see it before I left. REVIEW! 


	15. Tunnel Network of Hogwarts

**Quest of the Seekers: Animals Within**

Year Two at Hogwarts

.

Chapter 15: Tunnel Network of Hogwarts

Slanted dialogue means parseltongue.

...

Tyler cried into his pillow for what seemed like hours. He put a silence spell, which he remembered Regulus and Reggie both using, around his bed hangings so no one would hear him. The feelings of pain and hurt burned into Tyler like someone with a Fire Whip curse just struck his chest. No one bothered him, not even Matt, which was fine with him since he just wanted to be alone. He would've even told Chaos to get lost and no one listened to him more than Chaos did. Tyler just wanted to be alone for the rest of the night. He had tears in his eyes like he did during the Christmas break and like he did back then, he cried himself to sleep.

...

At the same time that this was happening...

Jacke, Reggie and Brad got out of their stupor from Tyler's yells and accusations of betrayal and started to head back to the castle hoping for credibility on Reggie having waited for both Brad and Jacke to have come out of the changing rooms.

"I can't believe Tyler yelled at us like that." Brad was stiff as a rock. "He completely lost it there on us."

"Well...I can't really blame him. The proof that he gave on thinking we were exposing his secret all over the school. Oh no!"

"What Reggie?!" yelled Brad and Jacke at the same time.

"The school...if Tyler was able to piece those clues that easy then you could bet that the entire school gets the message by tomorrow!"

"Oh, that's just perfect!" Jacke was really ticked off. "This will only make Tyler even MORE mad at us and we didn't even do anything!"

"Wait guys," said Brad suddenly. "Let's keep calm, after all, other than the one or ones responsible for this, we are the only ones in school who even know what Tyler is," he started saying quieter since they were back in the building where you never know who is overhearing. "Even if people did solve the puzzle nobody could possibly guess it's about Tyler. Besides, if you've been hearing some of these rumors, you'd laugh at how stupid they sound."

Jacke and Reggie let out a short snort at the thought but then went back to their depression, which Brad joined in.

"I just wish I know who is doing this."

"Me too Jacke, Me too. But we have no way of knowing who is doing this to Tyler."

"That's the other thing," said Reggie. "Whoever's doing this must also know about Tyler. Like Tyler pointed out, all the incidents happen when he's around so it must be someone with full knowledge of Tyler's weekly schedule."

"And," added Jacke. "It has to be someone who actually knows his secret."

"But who? Unless Tyler told a few of his slytherin comrades then it could be anyone."

"No, I don't think it is."

"Why not Reggie?" asked Brad.

"Well, remember what Tyler told us on the train? He said that we were the only ones who've been told about this. Also, he couldn't have told other people because he suspected us first. So, it has to be someone who either figured out his secret alone."

"But if they overheard," said Jacke a little worried.

"No, don't you remember Jacke?" asked Brad turning to him moving his hand in a wave. "We were always careful when we mentioned anything even closely related to it and when we did we still didn't give off anything that would've linked to this."

"Well, I'm going to find out who is doing this." Jacke had said this with a hint of promise and anger.

"Jacke...no offense but you don't even know where to start. Don't get me wrong, I want to jinx the blowhard who's responsible too but how are we supposed to look for this guy?"

"Well, I'm going to keep a close eye on Tyler and watch for anyone suspicious. After all, I owe Tyler that much."

"What do you mean by that Tyler?" asked Reggie.

"...It's private." Jacke said simply.

"Jacke, we know that you are closer to Tyler then either of us but you don't have to find out and try to help him on your own. We're his best friends too and we're not going to let going to let whoever this wise guy is get away with this," said Brad with formality while Reggie nodded hard in agreement with the sense of justice in his eyes.

"Thanks guys," Jacke said quietly. 'But...that's not what I meant at all,' he thought to himself.

Then they went off to there common rooms, carefully dodging the prefects and teachers along the way.

...

The next day, Tyler woke up very drained like a vampire sucked out all of his blood and he was walking on an empty body. It was Sunday and Tyler just wanted to not have to be reminded in any way about the incidents or the way things back in the cave went yesterday. However, like the past weeks had proved, things kept getting pulled over to those memories.

On the announcement board in the common room, the following notice was slapped on:

** Attention Students!**

Due to the daily complaints of the entire student population and the defending reasoning of the prefects and Head boy and girl, Professor Dumbledore has announced that the students will be again allowed to venture throughout the castle freely just as before. However, there will be a curfew in which no student may be out of the common room by 30 minutes after dinner every evening. Also, it is advised to be in groups whenever possible. Lastly, we ask that anyone with knowledge of these incidents to please come forth so this madness may end.

Professor M. McGonagall 

Deputy Headmistress

Tyler stood there reading the sign and breathed in annoyance. 'Every where I go, Merlin!, Can't they put all this aside for one minute?!'

Regulus walked up to him and tapped his shoulder. "Tyler, hey, I see you've read the sign too."

"Yeah, I wonder what was said to change all the teachers' minds?"

"If you come to the sofa where Matt and Morgan are then I'll tell you all."

"You know?"

"Know, remember Tyler, I know Theodore Nott well and he is the 5th year prefect."

"Oh right."

They went over to Matt and Morgan who seemed to have been having a disagreement.

"Matt, this is all senseless. I can't believe your taking pranks seriously."

"Pranks, please. It's as clear that...he is involved."

"What's going on between you two?" asked Tyler as he and Regulus sat down between on their opposite sides on the long couch.

"Matt here is being stupid and is actually taking the pranking incidents seriously."

"Oh please...these aren't pranking incidents. You'd think after all the stupid limitations they set that whoever was making all of these "pranks" would've stopped long ago. This has to be a message from You Know Who."

"Now that's really ridiculous. You Know Who breaking into the school to put stupid spelling messages on the walls when he could hunt down Dumbledore and the muggleborns."

"Messages?" Tyler got worried at his outburst as he said it too quickly.

"Yeah Tyler mate." Tyler internally breathed out a sigh of relief since it seemed to his friend that he just seemed curious. "I got from some of the older slytherins this piece of parchment."

Matt took out a crumpled looking piece of parchment. Tyler immediately recognized it as the parchment where he worded the clues together on. When Tyler came bursting in the common room, he must've dropped it from his hand without noticing because he was so upset.

"They let you have it?" asked Regulus.

"They said no word against it seeing as how I swiped it from the table where it was when they weren't looking. Look," he said fixing it up so they could see the clues pointing to the word Parselmouth that Tyler pieced together. "I really think that you know who set this up."

"So, you think it's serious," Tyler said trying his very best to be deeply interested and not spooked out.

"Could be," said Matt shrugging his shoulders and refolding the paper. "So, what's going on with you guys?"

"Well, we're allowed to be out of the common room whenever we want again."

"Yes." Both Matt and Morgan cheered that word at the same time.

"Nott, from my year," adding to the looks that the three young ones were moving toward the younger Alex Nott. "He told me that the prefects were getting tired of everyone complaining on how everyone has been locked up and no one's even been hurt so they took this with the staff and argued for letting everyone be out again and they finally agreed."

"Well, I plan on relaxing myself on the grounds. Bye," waved Morgan leaving the common room with a number of other slytherin girls.

"Thank Merlin! I thought she would never leave," said Matt with a tired longing.

"Matt!" said Tyler crossly.

"Don't get me wrong," he said putting his hands up in moral defense. "She's great, better improvement over your other friends but when she is arguing then she gets annoying...and a little...scary."

Tyler, Matt and Regulus chuckled a little as Matt and Tyler both muttered under their breaths "Girls."

"Well, now I'm going off to the library."

"Regulus," started Matt. "We have our freedom back and you're going to waste it in the library?"

"Matt, did you forget that I have O.W.L.'s coming up. I have to study if I want to pass them. Wait until your fifth year and you'll see what I have to go through and you'll regret that you hounded me for my studying."

"Yeah right," he said as Regulus left for the library.

"So, what about you? I'm hanging out with Nott and Moore today. Want to join us?"

"Sorry, I feel very tired and I just want to rest up."

"Rest? You were in your bed ever since you got back from the quidditch game."

"Yeah...but I was up until about 4:00 thinking about random things and I'm feeling very tired now." He faked a yawn to make his story be convincing which seemed to have had the desired effect.

"All right. Snooze away while we have the first decent free Sunday for weeks."

Matt went toward their other dormmates while Tyler went back to his bed. The truth really was that Tyler was as fresh as a dragon but he didn't want to risk seeing the other seekers today because he might explode. Tyler laid to his back on the bed and just stared off at nothing.

"_You seem bored_," said a new voice in parseltongue.

"_What? Whose there_?"

"_Tyler, are you okay? It's me Chaos_."

"_Oh, hi Chaos_."

"_Well, what's wrong? You're usually out with one of your many human friends_."

"_Well it dropped to four yesterday Chaos_."

"_Why_?"

"_I don't want to talk about it now. You want to do something_?"

"_Well, what_?"

"_I don't know_."

"_What do you want to do_?"

"_Ah_," said Tyler. "_We're getting nowhere like this_."

"_Well then, I'm going off to my little space. Bye_."

"_Wait...why don't you take me out for a tour of the wall's tunnels that you found last year_."

"_Yeah okay master_."

"_For the last time, don't call me master_."

Tyler changed into his snake form and made himself the same size of Chaos so that there would be the guarantee that he would fit everywhere if Chaos did. They slithered over to where a tiny peg switch is in the wall close to Tyler's bed. Chaos pressed it with his tail and a part of the wall vanished leaving a square like tunnel about 18 inches long and wide.

When Tyler and Chaos got in, Chaos went to the side of the wall and hit another button with his tail sealing the tunnel again. While Chaos did that, Tyler was looking around the tunnel. When they slithered in a faint glow of light escaped the walls so they could see. Also, the inside of the tunnel was bigger than it looked from the outside.

'A whole basilisk could make it in these tunnels.' "_So Chaos, where do we head first_?" he hissed to his animal friend.

"_Let's go to my place first. Just follow me mas...Tyler_," he added from the look in Tyler's eyes.

They went down the ahead path and Tyler noticed that with every slither they took the walls went into a glow to show the path ahead but fainted when they went far enough. They came to a fork in the path in which Chaos took the left path and they slithered on through forks and paths for what seemed like an hour until they reached a big space that looked as big as a cabinet.

"_Welcome to my little place Tyler_."

"_Chaos...this looks...homey_."

"_It doesn't look like much but it suits me fine_."

"_So...where to now_?"

"_Anywhere, These tunnels give access to almost everywhere_."

"_Wow, I wonder how this got system of tunnels got here anyway_."

"_Well, I haven't complained. I've used these tunnels to keep an eye on you_."

"_Chaos...Have you seen what any of my fellow seekers have been doing for the past weeks by any chance_?"

"_Why yes I have. They've just been studying or doing other ordinary human things, why_?"

"_Oh no reason, just wondering_."

"_We could see them if you want_."

"_Really_?"

"_Yes, I did say you could go almost anywhere. All the common rooms are accessible this way_."

"_All of them_?"

"_Yeah, I'll lead the way. Which one do you want to see first_?"

His first choice would've been Jacke in the Gryffindor common room but he wanted to hold off on that now. "_Let's go see Reggie and the Ravenclaw_ _common room_."

"_As you wish. I know the path perfectly. Come and follow me_."

Tyler went with Chaos and together went off to the Ravenclaw common room. There were so many twists and turns that he started to wonder if Chaos was lost. He even asked Chaos if he really knew where they were going.

"_Don't worry Tyler. With a year of using these tunnels you learn where everything leads pretty quickly. Like you know where corridors lead after one year of going to this school_."

He was about to say that he didn't know where ALL of the corridors would lead you but Chaos stopped him by announcing that they've arrived. Chaos moved to a lever and pushed it with his tail and a crawlspace opened leading out to daylight. Chaos told Tyler that they should be quiet and he listened to his pet's advice.

He slithered out and saw a large room about the size of his house's own common room. This one however had a good hint of blue and clouds painted on the ceiling. These designs gave off the impression that they were in the sky. Also, the furniture in this place had copper coloring to it and there were a few statues of famous wizards and witches along with a large wall engraved copper statue of an Eagle that reminded Tyler of Reggie's animagus form.

There were a few Ravenclaws in the room and Tyler spotted Reggie easily since he was the only blonde haired kid in the room. Reggie was in a corner of the room by himself. He had his face in a book like Tyler would expect him to but there was something different about the way he was reading. Reggie's eyes seemed to not be reading anything on the page at all. He looked as if he was just staring at the same spot on the page. Reggie's expression was that of someone who was in a depression mood.

'I wonder what why he's not out doing other stuff.'

Tyler decided to go on because he seen enough. So Chaos lead him on through the tunnels and lead him to the Hufflepuff common room. There, the room was much different then both the slytherin and ravenclaw common rooms in decoration. There was a hint of bright yellow, which made the room look warm and comforting from the outside. There were black stripes and dots on the walls with some animal tapestries. The couches were of yellow and black cloth and the floor had a fine carpet. Together with Chaos, Tyler managed to find Brad in the 2nd year dorms and he seemed to be writing a paper. Brad was ticking his quill and looked like he was trying to concentrate but still was blank on what he was doing.

Tyler said that he didn't want to stay any longer and when Chaos suggested that they go to the Gryffindor common room next Tyler flat out refused.

"_Let's hold off on that for another time Chaos. How about we go to random places_."

Chaos showed him to passages to corridors that he recognized and was overwhelmed at the access that these tunnels gave to the school. They visited a few corridors to classrooms, a few passages to the grounds and even found a few passages to some bathrooms but said no to the ones leading to girl's bathrooms and turned a faint red on his snake cheeks from blush. This was such a distracting tour that Tyler completely forgot about his troubles over the messages and the seekers.

...

Jacke was in the gryffindor common room and he was the only soul there since everyone wanted to make the most of their first day where they could be free of the common room. Not Jacke, he was hard at work putting all the clues and incident factors together.

'Okay, I may not be as smart as Reggie but I can do this.' He let out an irritated breath then went back to his thoughts. 'Whoever's behind this must first have something against parselmouths. That would leave about...just about most of the wizarding race,' he thought in annoyance. 'All right, calm down Jacke. First let's start with the actual facts. Whoever's done this must be after Tyler because he is the only parselmouth here and they've must've found out the secret recently like me, Reggie and Brad because this didn't happen last year. Maybe someone did overhear us this year with all those talks we had because Reggie and Brad both said that they didn't tell anyone and I haven't told anyone. Frankly, I've been trying to get it into my head that I never found out about this.'

When he thought that he then hit his head. 'I can't let my feelings get in the way now. I gotta focus on this. Now...Tyler suspects just us so like Reggie said Tyler couldn't have told anyone else so it does only leave us as the suspects. But doesn't he know we would never do that. Come to think about that, Tyler doesn't really know too much about us since we've been prying into his life as a parselmouth. Maybe we should be more open with him like...he did with us. I feel dirty and I don't think it's because I need a shower. Ugh' he let out angrily. 'I'm leaving behind my concentration again.'

'Okay, let me see...judging that these attacks are supposed to look threatening to Tyler it must be someone that despises him personally and by what he is. That narrows it down to the three other houses and a number of members in Tyler's own house. Maybe I shouldn't think on this and just look out for Tyler but he won't speak to us let alone let me be at his side. I guess I'll have to do it without him knowing. Well...now that that's thought of maybe I should focus on the defense stuff more since Tyler's not here to give us his expertise on it.'

...

Reggie was reading his potions book trying to get ingredients for a Swelling solution down but he couldn't concentrate.

'I just wish I knew whose doing this to Tyler. Sure he's a parselmouth but he isn't a bad guy at all. He even saved Jacke from that poisonous snake risking his safety and secret doing so. Whoever's behind this is the real evil git and deserves to be in Azkaban for this. I'm going to help find him/her and stop this before this gets out of control. I just hope we can make up with Tyler soon, before it's too late.

...

Brad was sitting in the hufflepuff common room on one of the couches. He was near a few of his classmates but he paid them no mind. Ever since Tyler yelled at them for accusing them of betraying his secret and playing around with his life, Brad has been depressed.

'Tyler...I can't believe he would think that I would do those things. Just because I know he's a parselmouth and everything. I've only heard of a few faint things of parselmouths and snake language a few times before I even found out his secret. Tyler's the first parselmouth I've ever met and he one of my best friends. I can't imagine what other people are so afraid of. Tyler's one of the nicest people around and even helped me get used to this new world I'm in. For someone to do this while they say parselmouths are evil lunatics is so hypocritical!'

Brad just ruffled his brown hair in frustration after that trail of thought.

'I have to help Tyler. I'm going to be with Reggie and Jacke and together we will surely find out whose doing this and stop this nonsense. I'm not going to let some idiot cause me to lose one of my bestest friends that I've had since I found out that I'm a wizard.'

.

**End of Chapter 15**

Well to those who are older reviewers and readers. I added a lot to the third chapter in my first story on the sorting of Jacke, Brad and Reggie and even a little more for Tyler. It would be great if your next reviews told me your opinion of the changes.

Nightlit: Great that you reviewed. Your input on the ravenclaws finding out the message also made me put in that stuff in the beginning of the chapter. Thanks for your inadvertent help. Also, about your comment in your latest chapter about delaying, I do hope you'll change your mind because after every chapter I always want to get to read the next one fast.

Tigercub15: Great that you're still keeping up.

Author Notes:

Chapter 15 is over and done with. To answer a potential question, the tunnels that Chaos and Tyler went in are indeed the network of tunnels that the Basilisk went through in COS at least in my story anyway. The next chapter will be uploaded in time. The seekers have a new challenge ahead of them minus Tyler: To find out whom is doing this to Tyler. The suspect is tracked down and Tyler is in the most dangerous situation that he's ever been. Title under construction.

Also, notice at the beginning of the chapter where I put that "at the same time..." Do you guys think that was good or should I forget about putting those kinds of things in. Just experimenting.

Review.


	16. Resolved Revelations

**Quest of the Seekers: Animals Within**

Year Two at Hogwarts

.

Chapter 16: Resolved Revelations

...

The end of the school term was fast approaching. It became June and hot weather made it's way through the castle. Many of the students especially the Slytherins were spending more time in the dungeons since it was always the coolest part of the castle.

There was also the topic of the last two quidditch matches of the season to determine who would get the quidditch cup. The first match approaching was Slytherin vs. Hufflepuff. Tyler and the fellow team members gathered in the changing rooms and were listening to Oakmire's last speech.

"Okay, this is my last match that I will be playing for slytherin. I want you guys to make sure those puny hufflepuffs don't best us at all! We desperately need the win here since we tied with Ravenclaw in our last match. Gansley, Crump, you two better not screw me up or drop the quaffle or I'll make facing a dragon look like looking at a puppy sleeping! Tanner, Dellen, don't you dare let any of those bludgers interfere with any of us. You two better hit them hard at those hufflepuffs out there, got it? Mefist! Don't you let in the quaffle through the hoops as if your life depended on it because, in a way, they will."

They all nodded their understanding to their captain before Oakmire went and came down to Tyler. Tyler resisted the urge in his throat to gulp and slowly looked at Oakmire.

"And you Solemn. You haven't lost the snitch once yet and I hope this isn't the day you lose your first one. I know that you and the mudblood Carter may be matey but don't you dare lose or you'll have my wrath to answer to."

Tyler nodded slowly but not too slowly to show that he wasn't completely intimidated by Oakmire.

The arena was filled and waiting for the game to start. Jacke and Reggie were there but they weren't with Regulus this time. They chose to sit on the opposite side of the field because they weren't sure if they wanted for Tyler to completely acknowledge them. Ever since he yelled back in the cave, Tyler had been avoiding them. He would stay close to the other slytherins or take a quick turn down an opposite corridor even if they were heading to the same class. In the classes, he started to regularly partner with Carroway or with his new friend Morgan Stellers.

There was the sound of coughing heard in the stadium and Phil Villar began his commentary.

"Alright!...Are you ready for your latest match? We have the Slytherin team coming down the pitch right now to meet their opponents on the Hufflepuff team."

Tyler made it regular procedure to only listen for when they were to walk down to the pitch and drown out the rest of the commentary since Villar wasn't too ecstatic about talking about them. He spotted Brad in his bright yellow quidditch robes and holding a Cleansweep Two model broomstick, which was the same as Jacke's. Tyler remembered back in October when Jacke, Reggie and himself put in a money order for Brad to surprise him for his birthday

Brad tried to catch Tyler's eye but whenever Brad tried to look at Tyler, Tyler would just look somewhere else. Clearly, Tyler was still mad at them for no reason at all and it made Brad completely furious but he knew where Tyler's anger came from so he was able to contain it.

Oakmire and the Hufflepuff captain Kathy Jackson shook hands but it was obvious to both Brad and Tyler that Oakmire tried to hurt Jackson's hand but she didn't wince in pain...well maybe a little twitch. The players mounted their brooms and the game began.

The game, after 17 minutes was starting to look good for the slytherin team. They were leading Hufflepuff 100 – 20. The slytherin team was fighting with ferocious force towards the hufflepuff team. They were trying to get through but the slytherins were playing dirty giving the hufflepuffs many fouls but they were getting too sore to take full advantage of them. It seemed it was all up to Brad to go in and catch the snitch. The problem was with Tyler. Just like Tyler, Brad hadn't failed to catch the snitch in his previous two games. It was truly a test of wits and fate between the two undefeated seekers.

The chance came sooner than they thought for when a hufflepuff chaser managed to get in a goal, the snitch was found by Tyler. He zoomed after it and Brad went hot on his trail. The two of them speeded towards it and had their arms extended. Brad had adrenaline pouring through him and looked with a sense of competition toward Tyler. But Tyler still refused to look at Brad because he was still angry and was channeling his anger into trying to move faster. Their hands collided and reached for the ever so near snitch until one of them caught the golden ball with wings.

It was Brad.

Phil Villar had his voice exploding over the mic. "BRAD CARTER HAS THE SNITCH! HUFFLEPUFF WINS! THEY WIN OVER SLYTHERIN AT 180 – 100!"

Normally, Tyler would've clapped at his friend's victory but he was still mad. Slightly for his first defeat but it was mostly due to the fact that one of his supposed friends bested him. He had no doubts that they were guilty since they were the only possible culprits for the letter messages left over the school.

...

"I tell you that Tyler is getting worse. He is now starting to avoid eye contact and I can almost feel glares coming from his direction."

It was the following day and Brad was telling his friends his feelings on the subject of Tyler.

"Look Brad, be reasonable. Tyler is really mad at us right now but it can't last forever. I'm sure that once he's done being blinded by his anger then he'll see that it couldn't possibly be us that were doing those things."

"Reggie," said Jacke in a defeated voice. "Let's just face it. Tyler is never going to stop being mad at us. In his book, we are guilty and will always be guilty. We have been watching him and so far no one has been acting any differently towards him. No one's attitude at him has changed at all from before the incident to now. We'll never clear our names or find the real gits behind this. Let's just...forget it."

Jacke didn't give his friends a chance to respond since he got up to leave. However, before he was out of hearing range, they heard him say, "Reggie, also, be ready for our match next weekend. I want you at your best when I beat you."

When he left Brad spoke to his brainy friend. "Wow, even in gloating Jacke seems upset...Do you really think he's given up in trying to help out Tyler?"

"No I don't," he said simply. "Though the three of us are still best friends, I guess Jacke feels out of place without Tyler. The more I think about it then the more I see that Tyler and Jacke aren't so different. They both love fun and adventure too much for their own good and love to play around whenever possible. I can only hope that Tyler feels the same way and comes to his senses about the incidents." He was silenced himself for about a minute before he let out a sound of anger. "Ugh...if only I had one solid clue then I could find out who this guy is. Thanks to him or her, the seekers are falling apart!"

"But Reggie...there isn't any more clues," he said in a defeated tone much like Jacke's. "The incidents stopped when the final message was made so it's pointless to keep looking if there is nothing new."

"Wait!" he said suddenly. "That's it! The last message!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Brad look, the incidents stopped because of the last incident right?" After a nod of following from Brad, Reggie continued. "So...there must be a hidden meaning there other than the backwards message. That message was too straight forward. If I can investigate the scene better then maybe I can get another clue."

"And just how are we going to get into the Defense room? Ever since the incident, that room has been closed off for rebuilding. There was heavy magical damage and it's a slow fix thanks to whatever was done in there."

"I know a way...but...I won't like it."

"What?"

"Just wait until tomorrow...and please...don't be shocked."

...

It was the following day and people were moving on to their next classes. Tyler also saw a few of the fifth years including Regulus breathing a little nervously as they went into a few of their classes. Their O.W.L.S had begun and they just wanted to get it over with. On his way to Professor Arnold's class, which had been moved to the empty room down the same corridor as the original classroom, he saw something shocking to say the least. There was a circle of students watching a fight with fists and with wands in the middle of it and it was right outside the classroom. But was even more shocking were the people involved and they were Matt and...Reggie?

Professor Arnold rushed over to the commotion and tried to bring order to the chaos going on in front of his classroom. "ENOUGH!" He went and disarmed both Matt and Reggie and started to tower over them. "What is the meaning of this?!"

"Nothing Professor, it was Falkner who started it."

"Falkner, is this true?"

"...Partially but Professor,"

"No, I don't want to hear it. I am going to speak to both your heads of houses and 15 points from both Slytherin and Ravenclaw. Also, you both will have detention. Carroway, your detention is tomorrow night but you Falkner will have detention with me for the weekend."

Reggie eyes shot in surprise. 'My plan is working a little too well. I just needed one detention with Arnold working to rebuild the defense classroom but both Saturday and Sunday nights! I have to be in top shape for the match against Gryffindor on Sunday. I'll be exhausted...Well, I guess I'll take a leaf out of Jacke, Brad and Tyler's books and save the homework I was planning to do for the day before it's due. It's not if I can't handle that.' Reggie nodded his head at the professor and moved along the corridor but still trying to catch Tyler's eye. Tyler was looking at him but it was a blank stare of shock instead of recognition like he wanted.

Later, when Brad and Jacke caught up with Reggie, they talked so fast that it was hard for Reggie to keep up.

"Reggie, I couldn't believe it when I heard it and still can't believe it when I hear it straight from you."

"You, starting trouble. I was shocked. You, Reginald Falkner, going into a fight deliberately with Matt Carroway."

"Look," he said suddenly. "Relax mates, I did start up a fight but I did it for a reason."

"You did?" They both asked that question with a bit of ignorance and stupor.

"I needed to get into the old defense classroom to observe the last message carefully. Only the slytherins saw the exact message and they only saw a glimpse of it after they were shoed away."

"But what does that have to do with getting a detention?" asked Jacke.

"Well, I needed to have the detention with Arnold because he's trying to rebuild the classroom and you know that people that get him for a detention will have to help him so I had to start a ruckus near him so I caused one."

"Reggie, I still don't know what shocks me more, how smart you are making this plan or how dumb you are starting the fight for the plan."

"I thought it was good Brad. Besides, Reggie is the smartest one between us and we need to put together who's responsible for tormenting Tyler and framing us."

"Don't worry Jacke," started Reggie. "I won't waste a second of this chance on Saturday. You can count on me."

"Good...also...don't expect me to count this as an excuse for when I beat you Sunday." He then got up and went to lie down on his bed to rest up from the quidditch training that he had gone through that day.

...

Reggie was standing in the classroom on the Saturday night before the last quidditch match of the season, which would take place early Saturday afternoon. Professor Arnold put a bucket, broom, open paint can and a brush in front of him.

"Alright Falkner, first you will sweep away the last few pieces of wood and chipped stone from the floor and then you will help re-paint the walls. No magic whatsoever, there's no need since all the damage needing magic was done already. I'll call you in three hours to tell you that you're done. Now I think you should get started and think about what you've done."

"Yes Professor."

Professor Arnold left Reggie alone and Reggie started to sweep the last of the debris from the destroyed walls and desks that was left in this room. While he was doing that he let his eyes fall on the message on the right hand wall.

BACKWARDS

There was nothing else there other than the arrow following the message. No symbols or anything to tell anyone about the one who did it. The message itself looked like it was burned into the wall with magical fire just like the other previous letters. The arrow itself was also self explanatory. He took in the destruction of the room itself. How the room was destroyed along the wall just missing the teachers' portraits and pictures on the front wall. He decided to take a close look at them. Some seemed to be of Arnold's early Defense League days with other League members, there were some of famous high ranking members and one even of himself on the far right. The front wall seemed to be spared but the other three were completely decimated with broken windows and destroyed shelves.

'Why would they destroy the room? The other messages just had the messages left there and there was no damage at all so why now? What does it mean? I can feel that the answer is staring me in the face but I can't put it together.'

He went and dumped the last of the debris in the dustbin and took the paint and brush over to the wall with the message and started the second half of his detention. He went and started on the corner of the wall leaving the area with the message alone so he could try and study it more by nothing came to his mind.

Professor Arnold came in what seemed like a half an hour later and told him he could go. He even wished him good luck for tomorrow. Reggie went to the common room but didn't go to sleep just yet. He took out a parchment and put down the last message down and drew the chaos on the wall as well. It didn't have any hidden meaning to his eye now that it was on paper.

"Maybe I'm just too tired," he said quietly to himself. "I should go to bed now, I have a big match tomorrow."

He folded the parchment and then climbed into his bed and fell asleep almost immediately after hitting his pillow.

In the Gryffindor dorms however was his opponent for tomorrow, Jacke. He had his eyes wide and was in deep thought.

'I hope Reggie has the clues he needs so that we could find this guy. I hate to admit it but I haven't felt like I've been having any bit of fun ever since Tyler yelled at us. I miss him. He may be a slytherin and I may be a gryffindor but he's my best friend regardless. I can't let the one doing this make me lose my best friend. I hope Reggie fingers the one responsible and then he'll have to answer to me if Tyler doesn't get to him first when we tell him we found the real secret stalker.'

He rolled himself over and started to turn in his bed, trying to get to sleep to be ready for tomorrow's match.

...

Tyler sat at breakfast the next morning with Matt, Regulus and Morgan near him. He was just eating his breakfast and taking in what his friends were saying. Regulus was saying how glad he was starting to feel knowing that his potions O.W.L was the last one he had to take and he seemed confident that it'll be no problem. Morgan was talking about just being happy the school year was starting to end and Matt was talking about how it didn't matter about having the slytherins go see the quidditch match since Slytherin could only lose no matter what. The entire slytherin team was close by and he heard how they hoped that it would be Ravenclaw to at least win over Gryffindor though they wanted to be the team that one. Tyler shuddered a little by what would happen if to him should Gryffindor win. He failed in winning the game for them and Oakmire would surely want his head blasted apart since he blew it. He just had to keep reminding himself that he was leaving after this month from Hogwarts for good but was still worried about what he would do with the time he had left.

According to the overall points, Hufflepuff was ahead by 30 points thanks to the victory they had over Slytherin. If either Gryffindor or Ravenclaw wanted to win then they needed to outscore each other by at least 40 points to secure the cup. This little number brought the air of hopelessness to the Hufflepuffs because of the skill that the two teams have and knew that the difference in their scores would be more than that.

Tyler looked over to the ceiling to see that it was looking to be a fine day until he caught sight of the post owls. He was surprised when one that he'd never seen before landed on Tyler's shoulder and stuck his leg out. It had a letter with his name on it in a handwriting that looked somewhat familiar but couldn't place. He opened it to find a very interesting letter.

_Tyler,_

_This letter is in regards to the messages that were left for you all over the school. Let's meet in the secret place 10 minutes after the match, UNLESS, you'll be a true snake and be too spineless to show up._

_Hopeful that you'll show up_

Tyler wanted very much to take his wand and hex Jacke, Reggie and Brad but held it in. He took his quill and wrote on the bottom

_You'll bet I'll be there boys! Jacke, Reggie and Brad._

He then blotched up his name on the envelope and decided to write Jacke's name so it could be given by return owl. But Tyler failed to notice that the owl that delivered the message had already left. He was going to go give it to Jacke personally but he and Reggie were already gone to get ready for the match. Brad was also gone in which he assumed had joined them on their way to the changing rooms. So he went to the owlery to have Pandy deliver the message. He found his log brown owl snoozing on a perch and shook him awake.

"Pandy...Wake up boy."

Pandy opened his eyes and let out a face that Tyler understood as to say "What?"

"Pandy, give this to Jacke about 5 minutes after the match please. I would really appreciate it."

Pandy nodded and after Tyler finished tying it to his owl's leg he gave him a good rub on the head as a show of his gratitude, which seemed to calm his owl down. Then, he made his way to see the last match and find out which house would get the cup this year.

...

The two teams were on the field and waiting for the match to begin. Reggie nodded in competition to Jacke and he nodded him right back. Both of them hadn't been successful in catching the snitch yet as they've both been beaten by Tyler and by Brad. This match was going to be more than a regular match, it would be a racing battle! The Ravenclaw keeper and 7th year captain Doris Crockford stood forward to shake the captain and one of the beaters 7th year Ned Berkeley's hand before they all mounted their brooms. Madam Hooch released the snitch and bludgers and readied the quaffle. She levitated it up and the last match of the season had begun.

Jacke was being motionless on the middle of the field while Reggie started to move around looking for the snitch was still on guard for movement of Jacke and to avoid the bludgers.

After about 30 minutes, the match started to become desperate. The Ravenclaw chasers were good but the Gryffindors were putting up a high defense and striking back whenever possible. The score was with the Ravenclaws leading 130 to 100. It was hard for any of the Ravenclaw chasers to get through the Gryffindor chasers and their keeper was holding up. The Gryffindor chasers were good shots but it was very difficult to get their hands on the quaffle with the Ravenclaw's skills.

Jacke was gripping his Cleansweep desperately. 'I have to find the snitch quickly. The guys may be holding up against the other chasers and but I don't think they can do it for much longer.

Reggie was on the Ravenclaw goal posts area when he saw hint of gold in the air. He leaned on his broom and shot toward it like he'd been fired from a cannon. The snitch went into hysterics and zoomed away toward where Jacke was.

Jacke was still looking for the snitch when he felt something go by his ear. It was the snitch! He saw that Reggie was already heading for it and he leaned on his broom and also went into pursuit.

The two of them followed the snitch through all the obstacles present. The snitch decided to go through the other players so Reggie and Jacke had to maneuver themselves through the sea of players and maintain their fast speed at the same time. It was the fact that whoever caught the snitch would win the cup for their team that sustained the both of them. Reggie was a little more further than Jacke and his hand was the closest but that didn't dampen Jacke's sight on catching it before Reggie could. Reggie looked a few inches away from his hand grasping the snitch but Jacke suddenly got a very crazy idea. He went under Reggie and had his arm align under Reggie's and grabbed the snitch right under Reggie's own hand making him the victor. It wasn't long before the commentator Phil Villar had his voice booming through the pitch.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! JACKE WALKER HAS THE SNITCH! THE GRYFFINDORS WIN THE MATCH AND HAVE WON THE QUIDDITCH CUP!"

Jacke landed and was greeted by the other members of his team. Gryffindor had just won the cup again! This time he had a hand in winning it when last year he had only witnessed it. He felt very proud. He looked up to see Reggie still hovering there and gave him a smile that spoke many words to Reggie even though he didn't say any. Brad also came down to the field and hugged his friend in joy.

...

Tyler took that as his cue to go to the cave. He went immediately without question from his spot in the stands and started to walk over to the other edge of the lake. He got over to the rock valley and climbed into the hole leading to their secret meeting place. He then levitated the entrance over it and waited for his supposed "best friends" to arrive.

...

After Jacke and Reggie got changed into their robes and got their bags and wands from their rooms, they went over to their spot in the library and sat with Brad who was seemed to be studying. But when he saw them sit beside him he put the book down and immediately talked very fast and excitedly about the match.

"I can't believe that match. It was one of the best that I've seen. You two were fantastic and really brought on the air that the last match should give to crowds. I was literally hopping on my seat."

"Well, I'm glad we were so...," Reggie couldn't find the word since he still had his blood running wild in him from the excitement he went through.

"Great...listen Reggie...now that we have this energy, did you find any clues last night?"

"Oh," he started sadly. "No, it gave me nothing to use. I got the stupid detention for nothing."

Just then an owl flew and landed near Jacke.

"Jacke?" asked Brad. "Isn't that Tyler's owl Pandy?"

...

Tyler was still in the cave and was still waiting. He was just staring at the pond inside the cave until finally the entrance was being moved.

"Finally now what do you three want..."

But it wasn't Jacke, Reggie or Brad standing there. Tyler's face dropped as the figure spoke.

"I see you got my message Solemn."

"...It...was you?!"

...

Back at the library, Jacke was taking the message from Pandy with his other two friends closely watching.

"What would Tyler be writing to me for after all this time?"

"Read it," urged his friends.

He unfolded the message and dropped his jaw.

"Guys look at this."

They read the message about Tyler meeting the one who wrote it in their cave and recognized Tyler's writing on the bottom telling them that he'll be there.

"He must've thought that we sent this."

But Jacke cut off whatever Reggie was going to say next. "If they're at the cave now then we should get going." He went to his bag and pulled out his wand letting a few parchments fly out of his bag and stood up.

"Jacke wait," said Reggie. "Blindly going in there without knowing what we're up against is stupid. Let's look at the letter first, I gotta say that I can't help but think that this writing is somewhat...familiar."

"Yeah," said Brad who pulled out his own wand. "I think I've seen it before."

Jacke looked down about to yell again when something caught his eye. "GUYS! LOOK!" He pointed down to one of the parchments that came out of his bag.

"Your returned defense homework?" said Brad.

"No, on the top of paper of my homework, don't you see? It's the handwriting."

They looked and saw that the red ink note on the top of the homework matched the same handwriting in the letter.

Brad eyes were long and wide. "You mean that...the one responsible is...?"

"Of course," yelled Reggie. "The arrow. The BACKWARDS message and the arrow was pointless since the word would've been enough. They didn't need the arrow. The arrow was pointing to the front wall...right to where his own portrait was."

"So the one responsible for this is"

"Professor Arnold!" yelled all three at the same time.

"Tyler's in danger!" yelled Jacke.

...

**End of Chapter 16**

Tigercub15: The message about you keeping up meant that you were constantly checking to see if I have updated. Sorry I confused you.

I'm not the weakest link: I'm glad you liked my chapter. I hope you'll like this one.

Swollen Fridge: Glad you're back from your vacation.

Nightlit: Great, you updated. Your story is getting more surprising with every chapter. I hope you'll loved this one but I don't really expect a guy who catches on to stuff fast to be surprised. You did say you were suspicious of Arnold from the beginning.

Author Notes:

Well there's the chapter. Professor Arnold is the one whose been responsible for the incidents. Everything will be revealed starting to his attitude change, to the dueling tournament to the present problems. Next chapter in the making. Chapter 17: Professor Arnold's Explanations.

Review!


	17. Professor Arnold's Explanations

**Quest of the Seekers: Animals Within**

Year Two at Hogwarts

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Chapter 17: Professor Arnold's Explanations

.

Tyler just stood there while Professor Arnold removed the hood covering the top of his head but not his face. He had his wand drawn towards Tyler but it wouldn't have mattered anyway. Tyler was too shocked and surprised to even move.

"What's the matter? Did I render the talkative parselmouth speechless."

"You know about me?"

"You really are stupid! I just came in at the time when my letter say and you still haven't figured it out Solemn."

Tyler was trying to talk regularly but every time he tried, all he did was open his mouth with no sound coming out.

"Maybe I should take you out now."

"Wait!" he said finally regaining his voice. "How? How do you know about me? Did Jacke, Reggie and Brad tell you?!"

"Walker, Falkner and Carter? They know about your little secret language too?"

"You mean...they didn't go to anyone?"

"Well, they must've kept it a secret. Really...I'm surprised that THOSE three know about you and yet did nothing about it."

"They didn't go to you or were part of the letter messages all over the school?"

"Oh no dear boy. That was all courtesy of Kenrick Arnold. I did it all just for you."

Tyler felt like dropping to his knees and breaking down right then and there. He just realized that he was wrong about the other seekers. They did absolutely nothing to get the yelling and strong doubt that Tyler gave them. He may have lost his best friends for no reason at all. He would've been broken had it not been for the situation at hand.

"I don't get it at all. You?"

"Yes...me...and I can see that you're wondering one big thing. How could my brilliant professor have ever found this out? Well, I guess I should tell you since it's, after all, a brilliant play on my part."

The tone of his voice seemed uncharacteristic with the air of professional teaching always surrounding Arnold even out in the corridors. It made Tyler's the hair on the sides of his head stand.

"Well, I guess I should start from the beginning of my career. You already know that I was in the Dark Force Defense League and have long since retired. In the early days of my career, I wasn't very high on my credentials until around a good thirty years ago. Are you following Solemn?" he asked with his wand still pointing at Tyler.

Tyler nodded his head and then made a face of complete suppressed anger. "Yeah, continue Professor," he said gritting his teeth.

"Good...now as I said, I wasn't high in my ranking as a League member. The dangerous creatures and witches and wizards that I brought down weren't what you would say...high priorities. Even though I was a good and respectful league member this didn't put my ranking as high as I deserved. I got my big brake when I caught a man in Widdlestride, which is a village populated by a good number of wizarding folk that made about 4/5 of it's population but they don't get much problems from it's muggle inhabitants. Anyway, it turns out that the man was a...are you ready? A parselmouth."

Tyler's head shot up. 'Professor Arnold caught a parselmouth! Wait a minute," he thought quite hastily. 'He said this was around thirty years ago. No...he couldn't possibly mean...not...not my...'

"You...you...you got my great grandfather," he said in a small voice.

"Well, I don't know if he was your great grandfather but it could've been."

Tyler felt crushed. 'So he's one of the people responsible for destroying my great grandfather!' He felt such anger that his hands became clenched into fists. He felt like charging right at Arnold then and there but he couldn't do anything while Arnold's wand was ready and pointing at him. He was forced to stand there and let Arnold go on.

"I was the first one to bind him. He had been running from the residents who knew how to duel and they had called for an auror summon. I was at the Ministry's Auror Headquarters at the time and heard the summon and went there too. I found your relative and captured him. After he was caught, we all locked him up in a nice good cell in Azkaban where it was ordered for him to receive the dementor's kiss three days after his capture. The authorities gave strict instructions to everyone involved to not leak any of this to the press. The world was already trying to forget the horrors of the Dark Wizard Grindewald's reign and didn't want a panic to be made. After that, my rank rose to one of the highest. I was on top of the world but then I was forced to go into retirement. I couldn't be one of the heads of the league since my rank was the top or second top of the list to make me qualify. I was completely heartbroken but now I've found a solution to my pain."

Tyler's head was buzzing with this new information. Professor Arnold was one of the people who was responsible for his family losing his great grandfather. According to his dad and grandpa, his name was Balder Solemn Slytherin. He was told that Balder Slytherin was a great man and he was always patient, caring and was perhaps a little overprotective of his grandfather when growing up. He hated this man. For denying Tyler the chance to even get to hear his voice, hug him or even love his great grandpa.

...

Back at the library, Tyler's best friends were still there staring at the letter and the clue that fingered Arnold as the culprit.

"We have to get to the cave," said Jacke to his two friends. "Tyler could be in trouble with Arnold right now."

"Jacke, we have to go to a teacher," started Brad.

"No guys. We have to go now," interrupted Jacke. "If we go to a teacher then they won't believe us that a teacher was responsible for all this without solid proof. They would've thought that we forged the note or something. Just...grab your wands. Sometimes the best way to do things is without thinking," he said looking at Reggie then to Brad.

Jacke ran out of the library with his wand in his hand followed by Reggie and Brad catching up with their wands clenched in their hands.

'Don't worry Tyler mate. We're coming to help,' he thought as they started going through the school headed for the main exit out of the castle. 'I just hope we're not too late!"

...

Tyler was still angry but then went into confusion. Though Arnold revealed that he played a huge part in destroying a dear family member, this still didn't explain how he knew about Tyler.

"I don't get it. What does this have to do about you knowing my secret and playing these mind games?"

"Oh well, it was mainly due to this experience that I figured you out. You see, the parselmouth that I caught was trying to escape with a little boy. He kept yelling _Come on! Come on Grandpa!_ Sadly, when I got the adult, the kid had gotten away by a portkey that was thrown to him by his so called grandpa."

"That...that was my father!"

"Oh, I figured as much. You see, back at the welcome feast and I first laid eyes on you, I thought you looked very familiar to me. I kept on trying to remember where I've seen you before. Then during your quidditch match against Gryffindor, it hit me. When I saw you in green robes looking worried about not catching the snitch, your face matched a resemblance to that little boy who was in green child robes too. I figured that he must've been your father or a close relative and put two and two together."

Something clicked in Tyler's mind. "That's why you were always looking at me weird."

"Yes, after I found out about you, I started to tail you so I could capture you without difficulty."

"What? Why? I haven't done anything!"

"Oh but you definitely will. A parselmouth is the ultimate dark wizard catch. If I bring you in then I'm sure that the Defense League will let me return to be one of it's heads and my reputation will be among the best in the world."

"What? You want to use me as a trophy and a ticket to be a head in the league?"

"No, not at first. I will take you in but I will use...methods to get you to tell you where your other parselmouth kind are hiding. I saw you're family when they came to see you after you're game with Ravenclaw. I recognized the man that now seems to have been you're father and I will finally bring him in. Once I take you all in I'll become a hero especially in these dark times with You Know Who."

"If you really think that I'm going to break and tell you where my family is then you better get checked at St. Mungo's. Better yet, go there anyway!"

"Oh a feisty little snake aren't you? Well then I'll just have to eliminate you and take your body to the League headquarters."

"Wait a minute," he said cutting him off. "How in the world did you find out about this place? Only my best friends Jacke Walker, Reginald Falkner, Brad Carter and me now of it."

"Honestly, you are stupid Solemn. I was tailing you ever since I put together your identity. I saw you leave this cave once before so I knew it was your favorite spot. I also, memorized your timetable so I could leave all those messages to leave you jumpy and lack concentration so I could get you when you were most nervous and vulnerable. Now, I think we've talked long enough wouldn't you say?"

"Won't it be obvious that you're up to something? Going to do something like this under Dumbledore's nose."

"Oh please, I already took that into account. Everyone knows I hate you so when you vanish then I'll immediately be pointed at with someone with a motive. But I'll just say that I may have disliked you but I didn't want you dead. The evidence will be so obvious against me that it'll be obvious it's a setup."

"Well...I can see you've thought this all the way through. Though, I can do something that doesn't require that much thinking. THIS!"

Tyler went to pull out his wand but before he could fully raise it, Arnold had started an incantation. "_Imperio_!"

The spell hit Tyler and he felt like he was floating on air. It was such a peaceful feeling and it was something to die for. He then heard a voice that sounded as loud and clear as if he was hearing his own voice.

"Put down the wand."

Tyler was so much at peace that he felt his arm going down and drop his wand.

"Excellent, now walk here."

He started to move but then another voice in his head started to go off.

"Wait, why?"

"Walk here."

"Why? Isn't Arnold over there?"

"Who cares? Just walk there."

"No."

"Walk."

"No."

"Just Walk!"

This little argument weakened the Imperious Curse but Tyler was still dragging his feet on his way toward Arnold. Then for some strange reason Arnold cancelled out the curse in which Tyler shook himself back to reality.

"Whew," Arnold said breathing hard. "You're a hard one to control. I wouldn't normally use an unforgivable curse but I thought this time was an exception. But I can use other means."

Arnold raised his wand and sent a stunner like Tyler had used before right at him. Tyler had to think fast and found an instant solution. The world around him became bigger until it seemed he was on the ground. He had transformed into his snake form. Arnold seemed surprised but started to regain himself.

"So...you're an animagus huh? And a snake one at that. This just further proves my point on your identity. No matter, I'll still over come this. _Reducto_!"

The spells came at Tyler but he slithered by them and was starting to head for his dropped wand. He went for it as fast as he could but was still on alert for the curses being thrown at him. He finally got to the wand and he grabbed it with the end of his tail. He slithered over to a tall rock and transformed back to his human self with wand in hand.

"_Expelliarmus_!"

His disarming spell barely missed Arnold when he ducked out of the way. Arnold then pointed his and shouted "_Mantculias_!"

Tyler was struck with the spell and out of nowhere, manticules were put on Tyler's arms and his ankles. He looked to see Arnold performing another spell.

"_Stupefy_!"

Tyler moved out of the way by making his body jump to his left but Arnold had already sent a Levitating Charm at that direction catching him completely off guard.

"What?!"

"You're surprised that I got you where I knew you would go. I analyzed your moves and dueling tactics."

"But...how?"

"The dueling tournament. I didn't set up that tournament just for a fun way to be tested. I used the tournament to see how good at dueling you were. I really paid attention to your duels to get familiar with your tactics. And one of them is that you go to your left when dodging physically and you also go from offensive to defensive in a steady cycle."

"That's why you only gave that kind of test to the second years. Because of me."

"You got it. Normally I would award points for that put we're not at the situation for that are we?"

"No, but I am in the perfect situation to do this!"

Tyler then extended and opened his hands to let out a stream of his lightning at Arnold which hit him square in the chest pushing him back and letting the spell go. Tyler started to fall but then quickly transformed into a snake but made himself his normal height to escape the manacles and use his tail to land. Then he transformed himself back and raised his wand.

"I'm tired of playing around with you Arnold. Here's one of my more dangerous curses. _Inferro Cracke_!" A whip of crimson red fire came out of his wand and moved right at Arnold. Arnold dropped to his stomach to avoid being hit.

"A fire whip huh? So you are talented in dark curses. Well...so am I!" He stood up and yelled, "Here's the Bone Curve Torture! _Calcrimang_!" A purple streak headed for Tyler.

Tyler moved his wand to the right to get the whip of fire to intercept with the curse. It collided and they both disintegrated. Arnold apparently didn't give up because he yelled for the torture again. Tyler readied his wand for it.

"_Protego_!"

The curse hit his shield and reflected off it towards his right hitting a rock. When Tyler's shield came down, Tyler was struck with the curse that Arnold had repeated right after he sent his previous one on his left arm.

The Bone Curve Torture was pain like Tyler never experienced. His arm felt like it's bones had cracked itself in several places in his upper arm. He let out a very hard scream at the pain he experienced. Then all of a sudden the pain had receded in his arm but he felt like he was drained. Tyler gritted his teeth in anger and shouted out the first spell in his mind.

"_Flippendo_!"

Arnold was caught off guard and hit with the Flipper Hex. Tyler wasn't done with Arnold yet.

"Alright Arnold, you wanted to capture and bring in a parselmouth so I'll give you a parselmouth! _Serpensortia_!"

Tyler had seen this spell before when his grandpa had conjured a snake for Tyler to practice his parseldueling and his people skills or in that case snake etiquette skills. Tyler released a green snake that was not so unlike Chaos.

'I would've preferred something more scary looking,' he thought.

Tyler shouted "_Serpensortia_!" again and this time a black python came out of his wand and went in line with his first snake.

'Oh, so whatever kind snake is closest to my thoughts is what is conjured, okay then.'

He then shouted the spell about 5 more times giving him a total of 7 snakes, each a different color or breed.

The green one that he first made went to him and bowed. "_What is it that you wish us to do_?"

Tyler bowed his head like his grandpa had always taught him to do for new snake acquaintances and responded back in parseltongue. "_I want you and the others to surround that man. Make sure he's intimidated. Hiss dangerously at him but don't attack him until I order it. Now go_!"

The snakes slithered to where Arnold was collecting himself from Tyler's spell and they completely surrounded him. Arnold was shocked at being surrounded by them.

"So, you think you're scaly, crawly things will help you prevail over me well guess again Solemn! You can't get rid of a top league member that easily! _Pyrpera_!"

A small fireball came out of his wand and hit one of the snakes vaporizing it on the spot. Arnold kept on firing at the snakes until there were three left. Tyler decided to take action and command.

"_Attack_!"

The snakes then started to move around trying to avoid the blasts and get their teeth into Arnold. He jumped away from the snake strikes and kept on firing when he had a chance. Tyler wasn't going to let those snakes attack alone so he decided to give good assistance.

"_Locomotor Mortis_!"

"_Protego_!"

The spell rebounded off of Arnold's shield and went back at Tyler connecting with him. His legs became bound together and he felt like a pole stick. He went for his wand and performed the counter curse. When he had two separate limbs again he saw that Arnold had already blasted away the last of his snakes. Arnold was also preparing his wand for another spell and Tyler began to get ready a shield charm.

"_Reducto_!"

"_Protego_!"

His shield protected him from Arnold but then Tyler set off running for a rock in cover. He was breathing very hard.

'I don't know how much longer I can hold him. His spells are getting closer to bringing me down and I can't call for help without Pandy or Chaos. I'm all alone here.'

He immediately went for the side of the rock to throw a spell at Arnold.

"_Stupefy_!"

"_Reducto_!"

Arnold's spell broke throw Tyler's stunner and hit the rock breaking a small piece of the front from it.

"Give it up Solemn! It's pointless to continue this nonsense. I'm going to bring you in anyway so just make it easy on yourself and just surrender."

"You really need that ward in St. Mungo's for people with addled brains now Arnold! I'll never give up and surrender to you! I will get my family's revenge for what you did to my great grandpa Balder and for what you put my father through when he was just a kid!"

"How touching to hear that from a parselmouth though it wouldn't help you to act noble now since you don't have anything to back it up. Though I admit that I'm impressed with the abilities that you've shown to me like being an animagus and an elemental which I thought were old crazy stories. You did good but you weren't good enough."

Tyler's ears were picking up Arnold feet advancing to his location.

'Okay, time to check what I have and am. I have no spell to get rid of Arnold or put him down that he won't be able to stop. My lightning power won't hold him off, it'll only delay him.' He started to look around and caught sight of the exit. 'Hmm...if I run really fast then I might be able to make it to the exit and run to safety. That seems to be the best way for me to get out of this mess. Once I'm out then I could get help.'

He readied himself by taking three deep breaths and then broke into a run to the exit hole but Arnold was on the prowl. He sent curses at Tyler to try to stop him but Tyler was moving out of their way. It seemed like he would escape but a disarming spell finally connected with Tyler making fall forward and disarming him. Then when he was on the ground, Professor Arnold fired a full body bind making Tyler as stiff as a board. Then Arnold used a levitating charm to get him in the air to keep him from escaping.

"I learned from the last time about your little sparks so with you in the Full Body Bind, you won't be able to use those powers on me. Now, there's absolutely nothing that can get you out of this."

Tyler then and there lost complete hope. Arnold was right. There was no more he could do to avoid this fate. But then there were voices sounding in the cave.

"Tyler!"

"No!"

"Stop!"

...

**End of Chapter 17**

Nightlit: You're starting to scare me a little how you are close to predicting stuff. You aren't a real seer are you? Don't worry, I'm not really scared I'm just kidding.

SwollenFridge: Thanks.

Tigercub15: I'm honored you have me on alert so you won't miss anything.

I'm not the weakest link: Glad you did like it and I hope I can repeat the pleasure of you liking this chapter too.

Author Notes:

Well there you go! Arnold's looking to use Tyler to get an even better reputation and further his career. Pretty evil huh? The next chapter will be more in Tyler trying to save himself and the fate of his family from Arnold. It's in construction as you read this. Chapter 18: Arnold vs. the Seekers.

Also, Animals Within is almost done. Maybe 4 or less or more chapters to go. And one more note, I noticed that a link I put on a previous chapter to a site for info on the new book coming up hasn't been put in. E-mail me and I will give you the address if you really want to see it.

Review.


	18. Arnold vs The Seekers

**Quest of the Seekers: Animals Within**

Year Two at Hogwarts

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Chapter 18: Arnold vs. The Seekers

...

Jacke, Reggie and Brad ran over to the rock valley and they came up to the entrance to the cave. The entrance wasn't plugged so they were able to hear shouts coming from it and they quickly recognized one of them as Tyler's voice. They started to run into the cave with their wands out and they started shouting.

"Tyler!"

"No!"

"Stop!"

Tyler face looked at them in both shock and joy at seeing his friends. Arnold was just plain shocked. Jacke, Reggie and Brad then raised their wands as one and as one they cast the same spell like they were sharing one mind.

"_Averte Stature_!"

Arnold was thrown completely off his feet and got thrown all the way into the pond, which was quite a distance away. Normally, a Force Hex would've just thrown him a good five feet but the power of three combined sent him flying into the pond with a big splash.

The spell was lifted and Tyler fell back to the ground free from Arnold's spell. He picked himself up and ran to his friends huffing.

"Jacke...Reggie...Brad...What...what are you guys doing here?"

"What does it look like?" Brad said sounding like a grouch.

"It doesn't take a genius to figure this out Tyler!" yelled Reggie in a way that he was scolding Tyler for doing something.

They heard a groan and then there was blue light that suddenly came from the water and hit Tyler square in the chest. He was forced off his feet and made back contact with the wall. Tyler vision blurred and then everything went black.

"Tyler!" yelled Jacke.

The three remaining seekers ran to him to see if he was okay. Brad took his wrist.

"He's alive, he's just been knocked out for a bit."

"You little brats!"

The three of them turned to find a drenched Professor Arnold with a wand in his hand as he was breathing hard from both anger and shock.

"Professor Arnold," Jacke said with gritting teeth. "You'll pay for what you've put Tyler through this year."

"You can count us in on that statement too Professor!" shouted Reggie as he and Brad brandished their wands and stood side by side with Jacke.

"Well then, I guess that I'll have to teach you what happens when you mess with League business today..._Stupefy_!"

The red beam went at them but they broke away from each other and easily dodged it. They pointed their wands at Arnold and kept themselves on alert for anything suspicious that he might do.

"Why are you doing this Professor?" asked Reggie.

"I have an even better question for the three of you. Why are you protecting Solemn? He's a parselmouth and you're protecting him?! What's going on in those heads?"

"We could ask you the same question," Brad said bitterly.

"We don't care about him being a parselmouth," said Reggie.

"He's still our best friend even if he could talk to snakes, so what?" finished Brad.

Arnold shook his head in irritation with a look of annoyance on his face. He whirled his wand and said

"_Fumes Screen_!"

A deep black smoke enveloped Arnold and headed toward the three of them. They started to cough but they tried to keep an eye out for their defense teacher. Then on Brad's right came Arnold's voice.

"_Expelliarmus_!" Brad's wand flew smack out of his hand landing two feet from his side.

"Argh, my wand!"

"_Accio Wand_!"

The wand vanished from Brad's sight and Jacke and Reggie were beginning to turn their heads trying to look for Arnold in the smoke.

"Where is he? Reggie do you see him?"

"No, no where."

They then heard laughing but couldn't tell where since the cave seemed to be echoing it.

"You two couldn't possibly be able to overpower me. Solemn didn't do too good of a job and I doubt that two of you will be any better."

Reggie knew there was big truth in those words. As much as they wanted to stop Arnold he knew that they were going to be no match for him. As long as this smoke was still clouding their vision anyway.

'Argh,' Jacke inwardly screamed. 'Can't this smoke get pushed away already. Wait, that's it.'

"Reggie, use you wind powers and blow the smoke away."

Reggie could've slapped himself for not thinking of that solution faster but quickly put it aside so he could manipulate the wind to blow in one direction taking the smoke with it. The smoke receded but they were still squinting to find Arnold's outline but they couldn't see it. The smoke finally moved away but Professor Arnold was nowhere in site.

"Where are you hiding?!" yelled Jacke.

"Come out!" yelled Brad.

"I don't see him anywhere!" Reggie yelled to his two friends.

The moved their heads around but still couldn't find him. Then all of a sudden a shout was heard.

"_Expelliarmus_!"

Reggie was hit on his wand arm and he spun like a top and lost his wand. Brad ran to get it but Arnold's voice sounded again.

"_Accio Wand_!"

Brad jumped for Reggie's fallen wand but it was too late. The wand got pulled away and disappeared from sight.

"How is he doing this?" Reggie asked.

"Oh please," said Arnold's voice. "This is just a regular old Disillusionment charm so my body blends in with the cave. You can't find me that easily though. Oh, and it's useless to try and find me Carter" Brad was starting to look around hard for a sign for an outline, "I'm too nicely blended to for you to make out where I am."

"You mean...like a chameleon?"

"Bravo Carter. I would award you points but we're not in that kind of situation are we?"

"Bloody hell, now what are we going to do?"

"Calm down Jacke," said Reggie in a low voice so Arnold couldn't hear. "I think I have an idea. Ready your power, you too Brad. Jacke, give me your wand."

"Okay but what good will it do if we can't find him?"

"You'll see, just get your powers ready."

Jacke handed Reggie his wand and started to concentrate. Jacke and Brad still didn't know what Reggie was planning but if Reggie was sure it was going to work then they would have faith in what he told them to do. Reggie went into his regular dueling stance and then raised his wand.

"_Lumos_!"

'Lumos?' thought Brad. 'What good is lighting up a wand going to do for us?'

Reggie moved the lit up wand in a complete circle until it seemed to be reflecting off the air. It looked like someone put an invisible mirror to their right and Reggie pointed in that direction.

"He's there guys!"

Jacke and Brad released their powers at Arnold's revealed location. Jacke had his fire set up like a red energy ball and Brad let out his conjured element as a blue beam of hard gushed water. They made contact and the glowing spot in the room made impact with the wall and they started to hear groaning. Then out of nowhere Arnold's body seemed to have melted out of the wall and was on a sitting heap on the floor.

Reggie then handed Jacke's wand back to him. "Thanks for the loan Jacke mate."

"Sure, no problem, by the way, what happened out there anyway?"

"Arnold said that his Disillusionment Charm made him blend in with his surroundings like a chameleon so I changed the area a bit by lighting it up. His body reflected the light so it could blend in with the light I was shining into the cave."

"Reggie," said Brad slowly. "Sometimes, you scare me of how smart you are."

"Well, I am the seeker from Ravenclaw after all."

"And that we won't forget," finished Jacke.

They turned around to go pick up Tyler from the ground where he still lay knocked out. Then Jacke heard a rock being kicked from behind them and immediately ducked.

"_Mantculias_!"

Manacles were launched at Reggie and Brad and they became pinned to the wall close to the exit. Luckily the manacles that Arnold fired at Jacke flew overhead and missed him since he dropped on instinct.

"Why don't you just hang out right there boys?" Professor Arnold asked in a very obvious joking manner that made them burn with anger and Jacke grit his teeth. "Really, I'm surprised at you three. Solemn being an elemental was one thing but you three as well. I guess you reaped the benefits as having such a dark creature for an ally."

"Arnold, this has to stop!" Jacke yelled.

"Stop? Why in the world are you defending that piece of trash Walker?"

"Tyler isn't a piece of trash. He's my best friend!!"

"Your best friend? Funny how he would accuse his best friend of betraying him huh?"

"What?...How do you know about that?"

"You should've heard him before you guys barged your ways in here. When I revealed myself to being the one who plagued his secret, he immediately accused you of going to me and informing me. In fact, when he listed the three of you as the ones who might've told me your secret the first name he said out of the three of you was yours."

"What?"

"Yes, some best friend huh? Accusing his best friend of deliberately hurting him like that."

Jacke looked at Tyler's helpless form on the ground. He felt anger and sadness welling up inside of him. Part of him was angry that Tyler would dare accuse him of all people to go and publicly endanger him while the sad part understood him pain and mixed in with guilt.

"Really," continued Arnold. "How could you stay friends with him? I know well enough that great Gryffindors such as yourself would never socialize let alone befriend a Slytherin like him. A parselmouth at that, what were you thinking. I guess you thought that it might be exciting to be friends with your house's enemy so you could stand out. You really need to shake off the daze your brain must be in."

Jacke dropped his wand arm to his side and started to actually consider Arnold's words and his question.

"Feeling guilty are we? Well, if you help me bring him in then you're conscious will be clear."

"NO! JACKE DON'T YOU DARE EVEN CONSIDER TO LISTEN TO HIM!"

It was Brad who was shouting.

"YOU CAN'T LET ARNOLD PLAY WITH YOUR MIND. YOU DIDN'T BEFRIEND TYLER FOR WHAT HE IS. REMEMBER? YOU BEFRIENDED HIM FOR WHO HE WAS! THINK BACK JACKE, THINK BACK TO WHEN YOU FIRST MET! YOU TWO DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THE HOUSES YOU WOULD BE IN...OKAY MAYBE TYLER DID...AND MAYBE YOU DID TOO, I ADMIT. BUT YOU TWO BECAME FRIENDS AND DIDN'T EVEN CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING IN ENEMY HOUSES WHEN YOU MET, YOU TWO IMMEDIATELY HIT IT OFF AND BECAME EACH OTHER'S BEST FRIEND."

Jacke mind went into great flashbacks of September 1 1984 when Tyler first walked into his compartment and into his life. How they talked to each other in complete friendship and understanding. Jacke remembered how Tyler, on that day, became his very first friend. Sure, he had had neighbors but it was only friendly interactions when it came to them. Tyler was different. They both just understood each other and that was why they hit it off so well.

Reggie took a turn in screaming to Jacke from his spot on the wall. "THAT'S RIGHT JACKE. ALSO, REMEMBER HOW YOU TWO DIDN'T STOP BEING FRIENDS AFTER OUR SORTING? HOW ALL OF US MADE OUR PACT? TO ALWAYS BE FRIENDS AND TO NOT LET THE DIFFERENCE OF OUR HOUSES INTERFERE WITH US? THE TWO OF YOU HUNG OUT AND PLAYED GAMES TOGETHER LIKE YOU HAD BEEN TOGETHER FOR YEARS! YOU STAYED TRUE TO THE PACT AND BECAME SO CLOSE. TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT. IF YOU SAW IT FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW THEN YOU WOULD'VE BET THAT YOU AND TYLER WERE ACTUALLY BROTHERS!"

Arnold apparently had had enough of their talking. "Oh will the two of you be quiet? Can't you see that I'm trying to get a lesson across here?! _Silencio_!"

His spell hit Reggie and Brad in their faces and they immediately became mute.

Jacke was starting to fight back tears. How could he have even been considering what Arnold said. Reggie and Brad were right. He and Tyler were like brothers and Jacke had no doubts about that. Sure they had had their arguments but then so did every other pair of siblings. His previous guilt still hurt him but now he had a handle on it and he was going to throw it right back at Arnold's dirty, bloody face!

"You know Professor, you're right about one thing. I am and feeling guilty."

Brad and Reggie's eyes opened in horror. Had they failed to get Jacke to not buy into Arnold's nonsense? Unknown to them, Tyler was starting to stir and was able to hear everything with a little ringing added. But he was still finding it hard to move right now.

"You are huh? Good to see that you were listening." Professor Arnold seemed very pleased.

"I'm not finished Professor. The reason I feel guilty is for the way I treated Tyler!"

"What?!" Arnold said clearly surprised.

"When I discovered Tyler was a parselmouth I felt betrayed. I actually felt betrayed and I was feeling it because my best friend had sacrificed his own secret to save me. I also feel guilty because I tried to shove what he was out of my mind because of everything I have heard when he turned out to be one of the greatest friends anyone could ask for."

Jacke was starting to come to tears but he still had nobility in his voice and continued on.

"Guilty for having hesitation on his family when they turned out to be a nice and caring one...Guilty for doubting him not being evil just because of a stupid stunner surprise in a friendly duel against him."

Jacke stopped to let himself let the tears run their course. Reggie looked at Jacke with a very exhausted expression. His heart beating sadly for his friends. Brad was also in tears as well. His chest hurt from the pain in his heart as well. Jacke's words were really a pang to be held in their hearts and it took a lot for both of them to not shout out in agony of how sad it made them feel.

Tyler was still on the ground and was almost in head condition to get up. But he was still lying in the same position on the ground listening to his friend's confession on his guilty feelings toward him. Tyler also let down tears from his eyes. Not from being angry about him feeling that way but because now he felt guilty for making him feel that way. He released with a heavy heart how wrong he was to accuse his best friend Jacke Walker of ever toying with his life when he is admitting how it's been affecting him.

"I've been killing myself to...understand. Meeting Tyler has changed everything that I have ever thought. I used to think that all Slytherins were power hungry evil gits and Death Eaters in Training...that parselmouths were dark, power addictive, evil people whose sole desire was to destroy and cause sorrow. And...now...meeting someone like Tyler has turned it all upside down. To see not only a Slytherin...but also a parselmouth...to be the greatest friend I could've asked for and one of the greatest people I know...is just too much for me to take in the way that a friend would. He has shown me that there are exceptions to everything especially on this. And now...to see him being hunted down like a snitch at a seeker's reunion for absolutely no reason by you is something that I won't stand around and let happen!! Tyler...A parselmouth...I don't bloody care!!!!"

The hand that didn't have his wand in it was starting to glow red. A fire was surrounding it, which astounded Arnold and the other seekers. Jacke's sadness and anger were making him unconsciously use his powers like when Jacke and Tyler had had that row last year in the empty corridor.

Tyler was the only one not looking at this because he had his face still to the ground but was crying completely out of control. Jacke's finishing words were too much to contain. He didn't yelp or let out crying moans to let them know that he was conscious. He just let the tears roll of his face but was having a hard time breathing quietly.

"I must thank you for one thing Professor Arnold," restarted Jacke. "Thank you for helping me to let out all those feelings that I've been keeping inside. They were killing me and I must show my gratitude."

He immediately let out the fire that was gathering on his hand right at Arnold. He ducked out of the way but the fire turned completely around and headed for Arnold again. Jacke was manipulating the fire even after he had let it go! Arnold got to his feet and started to run away from the flame. He went up against a wall while the flame picked up speed and launched itself for Arnold. Arnold just stayed there frozen at the site of the fire power and then jumped away at the last minute letting the fire disappear when it hit the wall but the damage was done. The wall made a deep impact mark in it.

Professor Arnold immediately raised his wand before Jacke could get a chance.

"_MANTICULIAS_!!"

The manticules impacted with Jacke and made their ways to his arms where he got pinned right to the right of the exit, next to Reggie and Brad.

"Accio Wand!" said Arnold pointing at Jacke's fallen wand, which flew to his other hand. He then put it in his belt with the other two wands he confiscated from them and pointed his wand at the three chained up wizards.

Tyler had to do something. 'What can I do? If I only had my wand...wait...where is my wand. I remember that I had it until Arnold levitated me and...' Then he suddenly remembered. 'I dropped it right around here.'

He started to move his limbs to find some sign of it when his right arm touched a wooden stick – his wand.

"Now," said Professor Arnold. "I think that you two may have been a little bit dosed with a potion to believe these false feelings of friendship for this scum here," pointing to Tyler's seemingly limp body. "But don't worry, not something that Healers at St. Mungo's can't fix. I'm just going to have to stun you three so you can't hurt yourselves."

Just as Arnold started to raise his wand a voice sounded in Tyler's head. 'Now!'

He immediately got up picking his wand from the floor and shouted with all his might, "_REDUCTO_!"

The top of Arnold's wand disintegrated right there in an instant while the rest of his spell hit the wall over Arnold's head.

"Sorry boy but that didn't help you out in the slightest."

Arnold then went for one of the wands that he confiscated from his friends when they heard a rumbling sound. It seemed to be coming from above. Arnold moved his head to the ceiling when all of a sudden it crumpled right on top of him and killed him.

The whole cave's ceiling started to shake now and the cave seemed to be crumbling.

"Hold on guys," Tyler said moving over to them where they were still shacked to the wall. "I'll get you guys out_. Snipiero_!"

An orange streak was made and it cut the manacles right off of Jacke who landed feet on the ground level. Tyler repeated this spell twice more and then Brad and Reggie were free.

They didn't have time to rejoice because pieces of the roof were coming down and parts of the cave started collapsing.

"Let's move!" yelled Tyler.

They hurried and crawled out of the cave just in time to see a trail of rocks bulldoze their way and plug the entrance. Then they saw that parts of the field sink a little making little holes in the earth like a giant had stepped there.

"Our...our cave...it's gone," said Brad in a low voice.

"Not only that...but our wands...they're gone too."

"Well...if they're gone then I guess they're gone," said Jacke. "The important thing is that you're safe Tyler."

"No," he said making them look at him. "...We're all safe. That's what's important."

They all went into a group hug at the prospect of being reunited after all this trouble was over.

'Dad, Grandpa, the one who is responsible for destroying one of us has paid. He may have paid thanks to Mother Nature but he paid in one of our sights.'

"Guys...let's go to our little spot on the grounds by our favorite tree. I think we have a lot to talk about."

After Tyler said this, they all started to walk over towards the castle but not before one last look at the ruin of their secret place and the burial site of their latest adversary and defense teacher.

...

**End of Chapter 18**

Tigercub15: I should be saying You're welcome.

Nightlit: You really put clues together well and you write them well too. I think you may have a career on your hands. Also, on the subject of your opinion of Arnold. He may not have been necessarily evil but if this didn't turn out the way it did then Arnold would've done a very evil thing by bringing about the prosecution of an innocent boy and his family and endangering his friends.

Author Notes:

There is the demise of Professor Arnold. I hope you liked the way he went. I didn't think that him getting murdered by any of them would've played good for the characters. They still have the hearts of children and could you imagine a group of good twelve year olds killing their teacher even if he was a jerk. The next chapter will be up soon with the end of the year drawing up. It might be in that chapter or in the next. Regardless, it looks like the next chapter MAY be the last for this story but don't worry because the adventure has just begun for the seekers. Chapter 19: School Year Dying, Friendship Living.

Review!


	19. Dying Year, Living Friendship

**Quest of the Seekers: Animals Within**

Year Two at Hogwarts

Chapter 19: School Year Dying, Friendship Living

The trip to the tree spot was uneventful. The four of them did give each other glances from time to time but other than that nothing happened though it was clear that they were still shaken, feeling slight pain and tired but happy.

Tyler was happy over the fact that Arnold was gone and that his friends came to save him, risking their lives.

Jacke was happy of the fact that Tyler was with them again and that he felt good to get all the guilty feelings that he was having out of his chest.

Reggie was happy that they were able to survive Professor Arnold's onslaught and reunite with Tyler.

Brad was happy that everyone was back together and everything was forgiven or at least that what it seemed but he didn't want to think about it. He just wanted to be happy with the sight. This was until Jacke let out a little scream when they were almost there.

"Jacke?"

"What is it?"

"My leg."

They put him by the tree and set him down on the ground. He lifted the hem of his to show that his right leg to show a long deep cut running down from the middle of his lower leg to his ankle.

"Wow, how did this happen?" asked Brad.

"I got hit with one of the rocks coming down from the cave in and hit a pointy rock on the way out in the exit."

"Wow, now what?"

"Okay, don't panic. I know, there are quords in Greenhouse One. We could use them to heal your cut. I'll just run over there and...oh wait, Professor Sprout locked it and I know that _Alohamora_ won't work because she would've thought about that in case anyone thought of breaking in," said Reggie with depression.

"Well, then I guess that we have to take him to the hospital wing."

"Brad...I'll never be able to get all the way over there with this leg. It was a miracle that I was able to even get this far."

'What are we going to do? What are we going to do?' thought Tyler with high panic. He ran his hands through his hair in frustration and hit his chest in irritation and when he did he felt the solution.

"Wait," he said reaching into his robes. "This." He pulled out the pendant that Regulus had given him for Christmas back in his first year. "This pendant was a gift from Regulus. Inside is a potion that can heal up cuts and scraps."

"Well, don't keep me waiting," Jacke said through the pain.

"Alright, here you go." Tyler lifted the capping cork of and dipped the potion on Jacke's leg. The cut instantly closed up and Jacke let out a breath of relieved pain.

Reggie put his hand on his shoulder. "Jacke, try not to move yet, let's just rest here for a bit like we planned to do."

"I should really thank Regulus sometime for this pendant."

"You? I should be the one thanking Regulus mate. That guy sure is a life-saver."

Then the other three went to the other corners of the wide tree and put their backs to it looking at the sky. They just sat there for a while in silence catching their breaths from the exhausting event that just took place.

"Hey guys," said Tyler. "I'm really sorry you had to go through all that for me."

"Come on, we know you would've done the same for us...at least we hope so."

Jacke's statement made all of them stare at each other before they all bursted out laughing. It felt good to laugh together again and all of them were feeling that same thing. They haven't laughed together like this since before these things started happening to Tyler and that felt like years ago when it was only around a month.

"In a flick of a wand."

"Oh guys, I just remember," said Reggie with worry. "We lost our wands in the cave during the fight, how are we suppose to finish up the year without any wands."

"Don't worry Reggie, there's only two weeks left in the year anyway." 

"That makes it sound simple but it's really not Jacke. How are we supposed to do any of the practical work without one?"

"Well...er"

"Why don't we just ask the teachers to borrow their wand when we have to do practical work until we can get replacements," Brad said backing Jacke up.

"Listen guys, it is my fault that you guys lost your wands. I mean, out of all of us, I still have mine and I feel very bad about it. Tell you what...how about I put the complete effort in getting new wands for all three of you, what do you say?"

"Tyler...you don't have to do that." Jacke looked Tyler said something ridiculous.

"Yeah, it was really our fault anyway. Besides, it was our decision that caused us to go down and help you. Missing wands is the least of what we could've lost. Don't worry."

"No Brad, it was because of me that you made the decision to go into the cave so it's my responsibility. Besides, I really want to pay you back for saving me from Arnold so I'm going to do it and you guys can't stop me."

The three of them gave up trying and openly accepted his hospitality.

"So...do you care to clue us in on what happened between you and Professor Arnold back at the cave?" Reggie said breaking up the silence.

"Oh, he was trying to turn me in so he could better his reputation with the Dark Force Defense League so he could get a spot on the council. Probably hoped he'd get a top Ministry job with my hide," he added bitterly.

"Come on Tyler, it's over. You don't have to try to not let it look like it doesn't bother you," said Brad. "We could tell that Arnold really shook you up before we got there. What happened?"

"I'm not sure I could tell you guys, it's a personal thing for me and my family."

"Talking about it helps," said Brad.

"You could tell us, it's not like we don't know about your family right?" said Jacke trying to push him on to vent his feelings.

'Should I tell them what I learned from Arnold? Well...they did help save my life and I owe them one AND they know already of my family...but...it is kind of personal and a family thing.'

"You don't have to tell us if you don't to Tyler. We're not going to force you if you don't really want to tell us."

"No...Reggie, it's okay, thanks. I guess I owe you an explanation for helping me out even after I doubted you guys and yelled at you all like I did. I still don't see why you helped me after I did that to you all."

"Tyler, don't be stupid. The answer to that is obvious," said Reggie.

"Honestly Tyler, you don't have to keep apologizing every two seconds, we get it," said Brad.

"Yeah, you're our best friend, nothing more to it." Jacke gave him an encouraging fist to the shoulder that made Tyler smile at his friends' actions.

"Okay...well, it turns out Arnold was the one who...hunted down a relative of mine."

"Which one?" asked Brad.

"He...got my great grandfather."

His friends let in and out intakes and outtakes of air that made it obvious that they were horrified and sorry for Tyler.

"Why?" stuttered Jacke. "Why did he bring in your grandfather? What did he do?"

"He did nothing. Okay, you guys aren't going to get the story unless I tell you something that happened to my father when he was a kid. This is part of the reason why it's very personal in my family. If I tell you then you have to promise me that you won't tell or say it out loud again."

"Tyler...have you learned nothing?" asked Reggie who seemed annoyed. "If we kept our promise about your deepest secret then don't you think that we could hold on to this one too?"

"Yeah...I guess it is stupid when you put it like that." Tyler then heard a friendly familiar and comforting hiss come by and saw that it was Chaos. He was slithering in the grass blending in quite nicely trying to get to his master and friend. "Hey mates, before I tell you the story...do you mind if I had one of my intimate friends here to help me through it?

"Intimate friend?" asked Reggie.

"Yeah...my small green one."

Jacke, Reggie and Brad got the message immediately. They pondered if it would be comfortable with Tyler having his snake named Chaos with them but each of them decided to go and give it a shot. After all, Tyler said Chaos was his friend and they did catch him bow to them at the train when Tyler first showed him to them.

"Okay," they all chanted.

"Chaos," he first said in English directing him to his lap before he hissed it so his friends wouldn't worry about what he had said.

His friends seemed to be a little nervous but seemed truly seemed okay with having Chaos around. Tyler cleared his throat and began to tell his father's emotional story with Chaos there for comfort.

"You see, my great grandfather, Balder Solemn Slytherin was a great and protective member of our family. He had a soft spot for helping people and had a strong belief in making progress with relations between parselmouths and the rest of the wizarding world. One day, the belief he had got him destroyed. You see, from what my dad and grandpa told me was that he accidentally spoke parseltongue next to a little girl and she screamed out for everyone that he was a parselmouth and then spells started to be thrown at him."

"My dad was with him for a little quality time and he ended up seeing his grandpa captured right in front of him before he got away. The one who had got him of course being Professor Arnold."

His friends just sat there in shock on hearing all about this. Tyler welcomed it because he felt that this was a time for quiet. Chaos was trying to snuggle next to him and comfort him like a dog or cat would to their owner but Tyler was feeling little of its effect. There they stayed until Brad got on his feet and stretched.

"Well guys, I say we've had a long day. Maybe we should turn in." It was then that they noticed that it was indeed very dark. The sun had long set hours ago. It appeared that their run in with Arnold took quite a long time and they made even more time pass hanging around on the grounds.

"I'm all for that," added Jacke.

"Me too, I've been through bloody hell today."

"Wait," said Reggie with his famous tone. "We all should head to the hospital wing."

"Why?" asked all three.

"Why?" he said in a tone like they just asked a very stupid question. "We are injured in case you haven't noticed."

It was then that Tyler really noticed the injuries that they were sporting. Reggie had a gash on his head and a corner of his cheek was slashed. Brad had a little blood coming from somewhere in his hair and his hands were contained gashes which were bleeding slowly. Jacke had a cut lip and now that Tyler noticed was still limping a little from the leg injury even though the injury was fixed the pain was still there and he also had blood running from a cut on his forehead. Tyler then realized that his hands were like Brad's, he had cuts on his shoulders and his cheeks were cut.

"How are we supposed explain all of this to Madam Pomfrey about how we got these injuries?" asked Brad.

"Easy," said Tyler. "We'll just say that we were dueling each other. I'm sure that excuse will go through without question." This made Jacke laugh. "What's funny Jacke?"

"Oh sorry, it's just that with all the trouble that being in different houses does to us that it's amazing that it's being useful to us for a change."

Then this made all four of them laugh until Reggie spoke on the situation again.

"Well, you three better get going."

"Hey, what about you? You're hurt too."

"Yeah I know Jacke but I have a few potions of my own in my kit for these kind of things. But I have only enough for one so you guys better go without me and watch for prefects."

Reggie went to his common room while Tyler and the others headed to the hospital wing helping each other and supporting each other up the steps. Reggie reached the Ravenclaw common room and immediately headed toward the bathroom.

On the steps leading to the hospital wing, Tyler spoke to his injured comrades. "I still can't believe you would come to my aid when I screamed at you guys on not being true friends."

"Tyler, true friends wouldn't go away just because of a little let out anger. We completely understand."

"Yeah, besides, it takes more than you shouting at us to get rid of us. We aren't going to go that easily. I guess we're all stuck with each other huh?"

"Yeah," said Tyler a little more to himself than to them. "I guess we are."

They made it to the hospital wing where Madam Pomfrey did buy their story of fighting each other without hesitation. She gave them all healing draughts and sent them off to their common rooms in a fit on disorderly fighting.

All four of the seekers hit the pillows with happiness on being together again and guilt since they were again responsible for eliminating another defense teacher even though it was in self defense...maybe not so much from Tyler though.

The next morning, Tyler woke up to a frantic Matt who he ran into on the way to breakfast.

"Tyler, you are never going to believe what I just happened to have heard."

"Matt, I couldn't seriously guess. You're very good at finding out stuff before they're even told to us." The truth was that he had a feeling of what was going to come out of Matt's mouth.

"I listened in on Reckler, Dumbledore and McGonagall and it turns out that Professor Arnold is missing."

"Missing?" he said trying to sound curiously surprised.

"Yeah, he's not in his office but all of his things are still there. They said it was like he just vanished without a trace."

"Unbelievable, I guess the curse got to him too huh?"

"Yeah, didn't I tell you?"

"You did, but I can't say I'm sad about it."

"Sad? Everyone's going to be depressed. Arnold was a good teacher and I've even heard you admit that even though he was a git to you."

"Well, yeah, okay I admit that but only that."

"Tyler, are you okay," he said looking worried. "You look like you collided with a running train."

"No, I just had a tiring night and an exhausting sleep."

"Funny since a sleep is supposed to be anything from that."

"Tell that to my body."

"Okay, it...was...supposed," He couldn't finish because Tyler covered his mouth with his hand.

"Not literally Matt mate."

When they got to the Great Hall, Tyler saw that Brad and Jacke were looking quite good from the injuries showing fainting results. Reggie was looking good as new with the scabs and marks completely gone.

'Wow, those potions of his must really have been good. Shame he didn't have more of the stuff.'

They headed to the slytherin table where Matt began to spread the news all over the slytherin table until Professor Dumbledore announced it himself.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I have dire news. It seems that our own defense teacher Professor Kenrick Arnold has somewhat vanished without warning or trace. We may not know how but we urge you to remain calm and say that there should be no need for alarm. We will try to find a replacement but until that time, All Defense Lessons Are Cancelled."

Tyler shared a glance with Jacke, Reggie and Brad and they looked a little worried but were acting normally so to not arouse suspicion.

Over the last two weeks of the term, Tyler was finally being completely happy with everyone except just with his slytherin pals like before. Brad had even said that in a strange way that they should be thanking Arnold for this event because it had brought them a little closer. Tyler had commented that he wouldn't have gone that far.

Classes were going great and in the days of the final new lessons, Tyler always partnered with one of the seekers, (if they were in that class) and let them use his wand in turn. Also, with Defense classes being cancelled since there was no one to teach it anymore, that time was spent just lounging around with Chaos or hanging out with his two fellow slytherin second years Matt and Morgan.

Tyler spent his remaining days with either his fellow seekers or with his slytherin pals at all times. He was generally in the mood for being with his favorite people. Regulus had actually calmed down. His O.W.L's were finally over and he was in the mood for talking peacefully again and helping Matt, Morgan and himself with their studies for their final exams. The exams went off without much difficulty since the seekers felt like they had mountains of energy when they studied but Tyler secretly thought that his mood and confidence with the exams rubbed off on them. Reggie, Brad and Jacke had asked to use the Professors' wands for the practical work and they came up with the excuse that their wands were taken as a prank and snapped.

Tyler was so happy that he decided to write to Severus and tell him about how he was confident that he passed his exams and that he was right in his tip of watching out for Arnold. He smirked at what Severus had told him during the winter break and couldn't help but feel great with Severus' guidance in that matter overlapping the second part that had been in that letter.

The last night of their stay at Hogwarts was there. Tyler took a little while to pack since he had to wait until he was alone to convince Chaos to get into the trunk until tomorrow. This alone was a long time until Tyler threatened to tie a fluffy pink ribbon on Chaos and jinx it so it wouldn't come off convinced Chaos to listen.

The feast went off like it always did. People were happily chatting now that the results of the final exams were in and how they passed theirs. Tyler's grades were great except a little low in Potions even with Reggie's help but other than that they were great but was depressed he didn't have his top subject of DADA to help. Reggie got high marks on all of his, which didn't surprise any of the seekers. Brad got top marks in his Transfiguration exam and good grades in everything else except History of Magic, which was sort of his weak spot. Jacke had terrific Charms marks and then had marks similar to Tyler's with the exception of a higher Potions mark but barely any higher. Matt had the high grades too especially in History of Magic and Astronomy which keeps surprising Tyler seeing as how he could take good notes and get things down in his head with Binn's droning, boring voice lecturing. Morgan also got high marks. Regulus said that his marks would come in the post during the summer and he would owl them to tell of his progress.

At the end of the feast, Dumbledore announced the winner of the House Cup. Turns out that the winner was Ravenclaw. Dumbledore had said that news of dueling had gotten out a night about two weeks back which made the heads of Slytherin, Gryffindor and Hufflepuff lose points over. The seekers knew what that was about perfectly.

The train ride the following day felt very peaceful, quiet and friendly for The Seekers.

"Tyler," said Reggie. "What do you have planned for this summer?"

"I don't know. I guess I might work more on my parselmouth penmanship." He had shown them a few examples of his people's writing. "I might also practice my lightning power and my animagus form a bit more. What about you guys?"

"Well, I guess I might practice my form and firepower too," said Jacke. "Also, I'm hoping for my dad to get more season tickets in the quidditch league."

"If you do could you invite us? I especially want to see a professional match. I'm sure that it would be great from what you guys say about them."

"Don't worry Brad, if that's the case then I'll try. So, any plans for when you get back home Brad."

"I guess I'll continue with my martial arts lessons with my grandpa and go on with soccer for a bit more though I'm falling out of love with it. Quidditch seems to be taking it's place. Reggie, what about you? Let me try to guess...reading, reading and more reading."

"No!," he said a little too quickly making the rest of them bit their lips to keep from laughing. "I'm going to France for the next two weeks and I'll pick up my vacation there."

"Yeah, being reading king size books." Tyler had to move his body to dodge Reggie's attempt to hit him on the back of his head.

"It's really going to be lonely without you guys," he resumed. "You still have my guarantee for new wands. I'll get them at Diagon Alley the first chance that I get."

"Oh, we'll hold you up on that," said Brad.

"Tyler, I was just thinking, should we expect any surprises from you on the train ride back to Hogwarts in two months. It seems like we get one every time we head back there from you."

"Maybe Reggie, maybe."

They all laughed and they just sat there and played a few games of Exploding Snap and wizard chess until they arrived at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. Tyler used his wand to levitate there things out of the train taking complete advantage of his last few moments to use magic before the summer restriction kicked in. Tyler's dad came to them when he caught sight of them.

"Tyler."

"Oh hey dad. Dad, you remember my friends Jacke, Reggie and Brad, right?"

"Yes, good to meet you all again." He went to shake all their hands in greeting.

"Hello."

"Hi Mr. Solemn."

"Great to see you again Mr. Solemn."

Jacke, Reggie and Brad went off to where their folks were and waved bye to Tyler.

"You have some great friends there son."

"Thanks dad."

"I hope you're being careful with your secret around them."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that dad." 'Not at all' he added inside his head.

Tyler and his dad were about to go but he caught sight of Matt and Morgan coming from the train. "Matt, Morgan, I'll see you guys soon, okay?"

"You bet," said Matt.

"Don't worry, just be sure to keep in touch," Morgan said waving.

Tyler blushed a little by the attention that Morgan was giving to him next to his father fearing what he might say.

"Well, Tyler, I didn't know you were getting popular with the ladies like you were." His fears came true.

Tyler then gave his father a mock angry slap on the shoulder and just asked if they could go already. They took the portkey home with his dad still chuckling and were traveling like the wind to their home, the Slytherin Mansion.

**End of Chapter 19**

SwollenFridge: I'm glad you loved the chapters that you missed.

Author Notes:

This chapter marks the end of my second story. The four seekers and Tyler's slytherin pals are not gone yet. There's still a lot more to go.

On a personal note, my birthday is on August 30th. The same birthday as Tyler. So, now you all now that his birthday is exactly my own. I did base him on myself more or like.

Coming Soon is my third story which will be released hopefully soon especially with the summer ending

**Quest of the Seekers: A New Haven**

The Seekers are back for their third year of Hogwarts. But, thanks to the actions of their former Defense teacher they've lost their secret place. However, they find a much better solution to their problem. There is something at Hogwarts that can help them. A power that was believed to be lost that it's tales and stories almost were. Tyler has the key to getting to it and he'll need his fellow seekers to help in getting the ultimate magical miracle.


End file.
